Internet gaming disorder, loneliness, and insomnia among Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The lockdown and stay at home orders implemented by the Indian government to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 disrupted the lifestyle of most individuals in the country. This appeared to result in behavioral changes such as increased internet usage, feelings of loneliness, and disturbance of sleeping patterns. Objectives: The objective of the present study was to examine IGD prevalence and its association with loneliness and insomnia among the Indian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the previous literature, it was hypothesized that IGD would be positively associated with both loneliness and severity of insomnia. Materials and Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, a total of 372 participants (54% males, 42.4% females; 3.5% other; mean age 23.26 years [SD=9.07]) completed an anonymous self-report survey. The three key variables were assessed using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Results: The prevalence of IGD among Indians during the COVID-19 pandemic was 0.8% in the total sample and 2.02% among gamers. Regression analysis indicated that IGD was associated with average hours spent online gaming per day (β=0.164; p=0.02), loneliness (β=0.177; p=0.01), and severity of insomnia (β=0.483; p