Online Game Addiction in Twin-Cities’ Adults: An Overview of Family Function and Self-Control in Pakistan

A video game performed online is known as an online game that is played over the Internet, either on a laptop, gaming system, or portable electronic gadget. Online game can be played solo or with another friend. It may require an internet connection to play. Addiction is a psychological and physical dependence on a substance, behavior, or activity that leads to compulsive and uncontrollable use, despite negative consequences. Addiction can occur with a wide range of substances or behaviors, including drugs, alcohol, gambling, internet, gaming, and social media. People who struggle with addiction often experience intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit or reduce their use, which can make it difficult to break the cycle of addiction. According to the study's results, the relationship between addiction to internet gaming & absence the basic psychological needs can be explained, in part, by the presence of importance throughout everyday life and obligation. These findings are significant and indicate that addressing the fundamental psychological needs of teenagers could be an effective approach to preventing online gaming addiction (Kaya, Turk, & Griffiths, 2023) . The topic of technological addictions has gained more attention in research and is seen as a kind of compulsion that does not involve the use of drugs or chemicals, but rather certain behaviors (Billieux & Kuss, 2017). The research on web based gaming fixation in children suggests the existence of gaming addiction as a conduct habit instead of a problem of drive control (Irmak & Eradogan, 2015).Research indicates that people who are dependent on the web exhibit various symptoms, consequences that involve biological, psychological and social factors (Griffiths, 2009). Gaming disorder, also known as gaming dependency, is condition portrayed by industrious gaming, impeded control, and practical debilitation (King & Delfabbro, Adolescent Addiction, 2020). People with addiction exhibited heightened emotional problems such as expanded sadness and anxiety, feels more psychologically disconnected, and had a greater like hood of displaying symptoms of pornography. Female individual with addiction to video games were particularly vulnerable to experiencing negative consequences (Stockdale & Coyne, 2018). This study aimed to examine the connection between web dependence, family functioning, impulsivity and psychological difficulties in young adult’s university students. The result revealed that gender was not significantly associated with IA, but moderately addicted young adults reported lower levels of family emotional contribution and high level of attention instinctive and depression symptoms (Marzilli, Cerniglia, Ballarotto, & Cimino, 2020). The finding showed that there is appositive association between online game dependency and hostility as well as self-involved character qualities, while self-discipline has a negative correlation (p

Addiction is a disease of the brain, with changes in brain chemistry and neural pathways that lead to compulsive behavior. It can also be influenced by environmental factors, such as stress, trauma, and social support. According to research, there is a direct link between the degree of poise and the quality of family functioning among both online game addicts and non-addicts. The addiction to online games has a negative impact on a student's restraint capacity and family capability, but this can be improved by enhancing their restraint capacity and promoting healthy family relationships (Xihua Zhou, 2021). The outcome demonstrates that individuals play internet game due to their functional need for relationships and desire for fantasy, which can prompt compulsion. To prevent and reduce game addiction, it is important to focus on educational programs and activities that promote attention switching and decrease how much time spent messing around. However, the impact of these prevention and motivation factors on addiction is often influenced by the level of online game playing (Ofir Turel & Yuan , 2017). Frequent internet and gaming usage triggers opponent processes that cause the addict to quickly become accustomed to it, resulting in increased tolerance, and if they stop using it, withdrawal symptoms may occur (kuss & Griffiths, 2012). Online gaming dependency in males is a significant predictor of strong cravings (Ko, et al., 2009). Having self-control is crucial for managing one's desire to use and avoid excessive use of the internet (Mead, Baumeister, Gino, Schweitzer, & Ariely, 2009). The reason behind online game addiction is peer influence, and as a result, males have a greater likelihood of becoming addicted to online games (Li-An Wu & Oei, 2016). Playing online games has become a damaging addiction for students, negatively affecting their education, physical health, and psychological well-being (Xihua Zhou, 2021). Adults who spend more hours on the internet tend to have poorer wellbeing; experience higher levels of stress, and frequently feels sad compared to those who use the internet less often (Yeunhee Kwak, 2022). When comparing adults who are addicted to games with the people who are not, there are noticeable differences in their sleep quality, patterns, disturbances, and duration. Additionally, online game addiction is more prevalent among males than females, and it is necessary to address this issue on both individual and cultural levels (Zaman, 2022). Various reasons why students play games, but online gaming is currently the most prevalent form of entertainment. However, over the top utilization of the internet for online gaming can prompt individual problems and addiction, as well as physiological and psychosomatic issues such as anxiety and depression (Cao, Sun, Wan, Hao, & Tao, 2011). A significant percentage of online gamers, particularly teenagers, display behavior associated with physical addiction due to their excessive immersion in virtual worlds. Consequently, guardians, instructors, and social researchers are claiming that webbased games are a cause of social issues (Lo, Wang, & Fang, 2005). Online games can serve as a means of reducing aggression, anxiety, and anger, as well as physical aggression. The data shows that guys are more prone to internet game compulsion than females, while levels of aggression are similar. Interestingly, there appears to be an inverse relationship between online game addiction and aggression, suggesting that games could have a positive effect on managing aggression among teenagers (Shabbir, 2020). Online game addiction has become a significant behavioral issue that has serious consequences, ranging from psychological problems to suicidal and even manic tendencies. Mental distress is one of its adverse effects, but it can be treated with appropriate interventions. Addressing the underlying causes and mental distress associated with internet gaming addiction can be managed through a public health approach (Aziz, 2023). With the quick development of online games, the objective is to explore the impact of online gaming dependence by distinguishing between computer-based and cell phone gaming. The study focus is to investigate which games played after mid night are associated with addictive behavior. Additionally, the research will analyze how game classifications, parental variables, and relationship fulfillment can influence game dependence (Lee & Kim, 2016). As mobile technology has progressed, many features previously limited to PCs have been integrated into mobile devices such as iPods and smartphones, particularly in the realm of gaming applications. Online games allude to games that can be played by one or the other single or numerous players utilizing on the web cell phones. Such games are especially well known when they can be downloaded for nothing, such as fermium game where users can pay for additional features (Su, Chiang, Lee, & Chang, 2016). Individuals who suffer from severe online game addiction have notably higher levels of social phobia compared to the individuals who utilize internet game in a normal manner. A study was conducted to investigate the possible impacts of webbased games on the nature of relational connections and the degree of social tension, and the outcomes showed that exorbitant time spent playing internet games might sabotage the nature of relational connections and increment social nervousness in youngsters. In a new report, it is normal that there would be a positive connection between versatile game enslavement and social nervousness (Lo, Wang, & Fang, 2005). In comparison to other demographic groups, people are more susceptible to developing internet-related addictions due to their mental and developmental characteristics, easy access to the internet via mobile devices, and a positive attitude towards mobile gaming (Jonathan, 2009). The exposure to violent online video games, along with internet addiction, low self-control, and aggression, showed a positive correlation (Teng, Li, & Liu, 2015). Studies have revealed that individuals addicted to online gaming tend to suffer from mental health issues and face internal problems such as increased levels of depression and anxiety, along with greater social isolation (Stockdale & M. Coyne, 2018). While online game addiction shares a few similitudes with customary PC compulsion, there is also significant contrast. Online games are characterized their possibility and easy availability, which might build the likelihood of developing addictive behavior and exacerbate emotional and mental wellbeing issues (Lee & Kim, 2016). The findings indicate that the standard of personal connections has decreased while the duration of online gaming has increased (Lo, Wang, & Fang, 2005). According to the findings, there is a connection between excessive online game use and a lack of self-control, which in turn leads to decreased academic performance due to reduced focus on academic tasks (Haghbin, Shaterian, Hosseinzadeh, & D.Griffiths, 2013). Analysis has shown that individuals with higher levels of self-control tend to perform better on tasks compared to those with lower levels of self-control. Moreover, individuals with better self-control are better able to balance their leisure activities and prioritize their education by avoiding potentially harmful activities that can negatively impact their academic performance. Past studies suggest that self-control can play a significant role in enhancing educational achievements (Feldmann, Martinez-Pons, & Shaham, 2016). The study proposes that playing non-arcade online games is considered a fun and harmless way to pass time. However, due to the growing involvement of teenagers in this activity, concerns have been raised about the potential impact of these games on young people's health. The central point of the debate is whether or not these games have a significant impact on a person's overall health and development (Harris, 2001). Implementing academic programs and strategies to enhance self-control among students can help reduce aggression associated with playing aggressive online games (Teng, Li, & Liu, 2015). Hypothesis: H1: Lower self-reported self-control is expected to be associated with more intensive or problematic online gaming indicators. H2: Poorer self-reported family functioning is expected to be associated with more intensive or problematic online gaming indicators.

IBM SPSS Statistics and Python were used in the original analysis for data screening, descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and graphics. The manuscript reports 400 valid responses after screening for incomplete responses, duplicate entries, coding problems, inconsistent responses, and missing values. Descriptive statistics are therefore the primary basis of the revised results, with categorical variables presented as frequencies and percentages. Two Pearson chi-square tables in the earlier manuscript reported 407 valid cases, which conflicted with the documented final sample of 400, and also showed substantial violations of the expected-cell-count assumption (72.5% of cells below five for the self-control analysis and 43.3% for the family-functioning analysis). Because participant-level data were not available for re-estimation during revision, the sparse categories could not be defensibly collapsed and exact tests or multivariable regression models could not be recalculated. Accordingly, the revised manuscript does not use those Pearson chi-square p-values as confirmatory evidence and does not claim that the exploratory hypotheses were statistically established. Future studies should employ a validated problematic-gaming scale and retain participant-level data so that reliability, validity, exact tests, and multivariable models can be reported. Table 1: Demographic Profile of Respondents Variable Category % Age 18–25 years 81.62% 26–32 years 15.93% Above 32 years 2.45% Gender Male 43.63% Female 56.37% Education Undergraduate 71.81% Graduate 24.02% Postgraduate 4.17% Area Rawalpindi 47% Islamabad 53% With 81.62% falling within the 18–25 age bracket, the demographic profile reveals that the majority of the sample consists of young adults. Among those who took part, just 2.45% are older than 32, while 15.93% are in the 26–32 age bracket. The majority of replies appear to be in their younger years. It appears that participation is reasonably balanced, with a little slant toward females, as there are slightly more females (56.37%) than males (43.63%). Undergraduates make up the largest group of responders (71.81%), followed by graduates (24.02%), while only 4.17% have completed postgraduate studies. The outcomes mostly reflect the knowledge that students gain during their time in college. With nearly equal numbers of respondents from Islamabad (53%) and Rawalpindi (47%), the dataset is more representative of the country as a whole and allows for more accurate comparisons. As a whole, the sample is very youthful, with a slight female majority and a large proportion of undergraduates. Plus, there's a nice cross-section of residents from both cities. Figure 1 shows those 32.8% respondents play PUBG, 19.5% play Ludo, 10.3% paly Candy Crush, 6.9% play Free Fire and said that they play online games and 12.01% respondent said that they don’t play online games. The distribution of gaming intensity indicates that 45.70% of respondents reported playing online games for more than four hours per day, 37.35% reported two to four hours, and 16.95% reported fewer than two hours. These categories describe time spent gaming and should not be interpreted as diagnostic categories of Gaming Disorder or addiction. From a sociological perspective, prolonged gaming may reflect digital immersion, leisure preferences, virtual community participation, and changing patterns of social interaction. Extended play can also coincide with displacement of offline activities when gaming interferes with academic, occupational, or family responsibilities. However, duration alone does not establish impaired control, functional impairment, or a clinical disorder. The findings are therefore interpreted as levels of gaming intensity within the surveyed sample. Figure 3 shows that 60.78% adults said that they skipped class or work to play online games and 39.22% adults said that they don’t ever skipped class or work to play online game. Figure 4 illustrates that 35.05% of adults indicated suffering low academic performance, 21.32% reported health issues, 12.99% faced social isolation, and 30.64% saw no adverse effects from online game usage. These results are consistent with existing empirical research about the psychosocial effects of gaming. A recent meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology reveals a weak yet negative correlation between excessive engagement with video games and digital media and students' academic performance, especially when such engagement interferes with academic obligations and self-regulated study practices. This suggests that extensive gaming may detract from academic responsibilities and lead to lower the grades (Kus, 2025). Cross-sectional research involving Saudi Arabian university students revealed a substantial correlation between daily video game hours and degrees of social isolation, hence corroborating the relationship between increased gaming engagement and diminished offline social connection. Recent clinical and public health reviews underscore that problematic or addictive online gaming patterns can lead to health and psychological issues, including sleep disturbances, sedentary lifestyle consequences, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, particularly when gaming transitions from a recreational activity to a compulsive behaviour (Alshehri , et al., 2025). These recent studies confirm your empirical observation that negative outcomes i.e academic, social, and health-related are common among adults with greater gaming involvement, underscoring the necessity of analysing not only the duration of gaming but also its functional impact on individuals’ daily lives and well-being. Figure 5 shows that 67.40% of respondents reported that they had tried to reduce their online gaming time but were unsuccessful, whereas 32.60% reported that they had not made such an attempt. An unsuccessful attempt to cut down may indicate difficulty with self-regulation, but this single item is not sufficient to diagnose Gaming Disorder. It is therefore treated as one behavioural indicator of possible problematic gaming and interpreted together with other self-reported patterns rather than as evidence of addiction by itself. Previous research has linked repeated unsuccessful attempts to control gaming with problematic gaming and impaired daily functioning. The present finding is broadly consistent with that literature, but direct clinical comparisons should be made cautiously because this study did not use a validated diagnostic instrument. The result is best understood as evidence that a substantial proportion of respondents perceived difficulty in limiting their gaming behaviour. Figure 6 indicates that 1.23% of individuals had a very poor relationship with their family, 8.33% reported a poor relationship, 37.75% reported a moderate relationship, 32.35% reported a good relationship, and 20.34% reported a very good relationship. Although 90.44% of respondents report moderate to positive familial relationships, the 9.56% suggesting poor familial relationships is sociologically significant, particularly when examined in regard to online gaming habit. Recent empirical research demonstrate that excessive or problematic gaming is associated with familial discord, reduced communication, and emotional alienation. A comprehensive study conducted in 2025 in Addictive Behaviours revealed insufficient parental oversight, diminished family cohesion, and adversarial home environments as significant predictors of Internet Gaming Disorder (Petrescu, Błachnio, & Enea, 2025), a negative correlation between problematic gaming activities and family functioning, as well as the quality of parent-child communication. Digital dependency patterns indicates that those with troubled familial ties are more likely to engage in online gaming as a coping mechanism, which may exacerbate relational tensions (Shiferaw, et al., 2025). From a sociological perspective, these findings align with family systems theory, which posits that behavioural patterns, such as excessive gaming, influence and are influenced by family dynamics (Murray, 1978). The majority of respondents indicated that their familial relationships were stable or positive. Individuals reporting strained relationships may be exhibiting a bidirectional dynamic wherein digital immersion both originates from and contributes to deficient familial interaction frameworks. The data suggest that the robustness of familial bonds is a crucial contextual element in understanding online gaming activity and its social implications. Table 2: Twin-Cities respondent’s Family Communication, Participation & Conflict Related to Online Gaming Variable Category % How Often do you communicate with your family? In Person 67.25 Over the Phone Call 23.25 Via Text 7.25 Social Media 2.25 Do you participate in family activities or events? Yes 62.75 No 37.25 Have you ever experienced conflict or tension with your family due to your online game use? Yes 64.25 No 35.75 The data shown in Table 2 demonstrates that the majority of respondents (67.25%) participate in personal communication with their family. This is followed by communication through the phone (23.25%), communication through text (7.25%), and communication through personal social media (2.25%). In addition, the majority of respondents reported being actively involved in family life. Among those who participated, 62.75% were present at family gatherings and events, while 37.25 percent did not take part. The use of online games caused conflict or tension with 64.25% of respondents, whereas 35.75% of respondents did not encounter such conflict or tension with their family. This is despite the fact that family engagement and participation are normally high. The intricate sociocultural interactions that exist between the usage of digital media and those of family ties are reflected in these patterns. Research conducted in the present day indicates that even though strong family communication and participation are protective factors against problematic media use (Chassiakos, Radesky, Christakis, Moreno, & Cross, 2016), high intensity gaming is still significantly associated with familial conflict. This is especially the case when gameplay interferes with daily responsibilities or interpersonal expectations, underline the fact that problematic gaming is associated with an increase in the number of family disagreements and a decrease in the quality of relationships between parents and children (Wang, 2024). Furthermore, new evidence highlights the fact that although family closeness and communication can operate as a buffer against negative effects, excessive or compulsive gaming is associated with relational tension and the perception of parental unhappiness (Sheta, 2024). These findings are supported by study conducted in 2026 that was conducted across multiple countries and showed that conflicts connected to gaming frequently develop over issues such as time allocation, academic performance, or unmet family commitments (Nagata, et al., 2026; Su, Lin, Li, & Ding, 2025). It is for this reason that the use of online games can cause tension even in situations where there is frequent communication and engagement. This is especially true when the use of these games becomes excessive or when they disturb the norms and obligations of the family. Figure 7 shows that 76.23% respondents are able to resist the urge to play online game when they need to focus on other responsibilities and 23.77% respondents are not able to resist the urge to play online game when they need to focus on other responsibilities. Figure 8 shows that 69.78% respondents said that yes they feel in control of online game use and feel like it controls on them and 30.22% respondents said that they don’t feel in control of online game use and they don’t feel that like it controls them. Figures 9 and 10 show that 62.90% of participants reported using some form of self-imposed gaming limit, such as avoiding particular games or setting time restrictions, whereas 37.10% reported no such self-regulation strategy. In addition, 51.72% reported having sought professional help for mental-health or addiction-related concerns connected with online gaming, while 48.28% did not report doing so. These findings describe respondents’ self-reported regulation and help-seeking behaviours; they should not be interpreted as diagnostic confirmation of Gaming Disorder. The relatively high level of reported help-seeking should be interpreted cautiously because the survey item does not establish the type, duration, or clinical basis of treatment. Help-seeking may reflect broader psychological distress, concerns about gaming, or other mental-health issues. The descriptive result nevertheless suggests that digital-behaviour concerns and psychological well-being may intersect for a substantial subgroup of respondents. The majority of individuals demonstrate proactive self-regulation through limit setting, yet a significant portion still require or seek assistance from professionals, according to the statistics. The results demonstrate that the sample demonstrates varying degrees of behavioral control and psychological influence. As shown in Figure 11, 61.03% of respondents reported that family dynamics affected their ability to self-regulate their online gaming. The earlier manuscript also reported a second percentage of 39.99%, which produced a total above 100% and was therefore internally inconsistent. Because the participant-level dataset was unavailable for verification during revision, the inconsistent second percentage is not reproduced as a substantive result. The interpretable finding is that approximately three-fifths of respondents perceived family dynamics as relevant to their gaming self-regulation. This is a perception-based association and does not establish causal direction. A fragmented perspective is shown in Figure 12, with 34.31% claiming that less time spent with family is associated with less self-control and more time spent gaming online, 32.35% denying any association, and 33.33% expressing ambiguity. The lack of a clear correlation between social retreat from family gatherings and gaming habit is supported by this range. The World Health Organization states that in order to diagnose Gaming Disorder, one must be able to demonstrate poor control over gaming as well as prioritise gaming over other activities. A symptom or cause of unhealthy gaming behaviours could be avoiding social responsibilities, such family reunions. A study conducted by Lemmens et al. found that a correlation between decreased offline social engagement and increased evaluations of gaming dependency was found in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour (Lemmens, Valkenburg, & Gentile, 2015). Consistent with other research from throughout the world, your results show that having family involved can help regulate and protect one's online gaming habit, while being far from family may be a sign of lack of self-control or behavioural instability. Figure 13 shows that 56% of respondents identified psychological factors as the main contributor to excessive or difficult-to-control online gaming among adults. Other responses included entertainment, limited interest in physical games, access to smartphones, free time, reduced social interaction, and escape from responsibilities. These responses represent participants’ perceptions of possible contributors and should not be treated as evidence that any factor causes Gaming Disorder. The pattern is consistent with the broader uses-and-gratifications perspective, in which gaming may serve entertainment, coping, social, or escapist functions. H1 (exploratory): Lower self-reported self-control is expected to be associated with more intensive or problematic online gaming indicators. The original Pearson chi-square analysis for self-control reported χ²(32) = 52.974, p = .011; however, 72.5% of cells had expected counts below five, with a minimum expected count of 0.17. This substantially violates the assumptions required for a reliable Pearson chi-square approximation. In addition, the table reported N = 407, which conflicts with the documented final analytic sample of 400. For these reasons, the p-value is not used as confirmatory evidence in the revised manuscript and H1 is not considered statistically established. The descriptive findings nevertheless show variation in perceived control, attempts to limit gaming, and gaming intensity that warrants further investigation with validated scale scores and appropriate regression or exact-test procedures. H2 (exploratory): Poorer self-reported family functioning is expected to be associated with more intensive or problematic online gaming indicators. The original Pearson chi-square analysis for family connection reported χ²(18) = 55.643, p < .001; however, 43.3% of cells had expected counts below five, with a minimum expected count of 0.17. The table also reported N = 407 rather than the documented analytic sample of 400. These problems make the chi-square approximation unreliable. Accordingly, the revised manuscript does not treat this p-value as confirmatory evidence and H2 is not considered statistically established. The descriptive results instead show that respondents reported varying levels of family relationship quality, family participation, and gaming-related family conflict, which can be examined more rigorously in future research using validated family-functioning and problematic-gaming measures. Taken descriptively, the findings suggest that family interaction and gaming behaviour coexist in complex ways within the surveyed group. Many respondents reported regular family communication and participation, while a substantial proportion also reported gaming-related tension or conflict. Because the design is cross-sectional, the temporal direction of these relationships cannot be determined: family difficulties may influence gaming behaviour, gaming may contribute to family tension, or both may be shaped by other social and psychological factors. The results therefore support further investigation of family cohesion and self-regulation as correlates of problematic gaming rather than demonstrating a protective or causal effect. Limitations: Several limitations should guide interpretation. First, the cross-sectional design does not establish temporal or causal relationships among gaming behaviour, family functioning, and self-control. Second, convenience and purposive sampling limit generalisability beyond the surveyed respondents. Third, the 15-question survey did not include a validated diagnostic instrument for Gaming Disorder; consequently, gaming duration and individual behavioural items cannot be used to estimate clinical prevalence. Fourth, the original inferential tables contained sparse expected cell counts and an inconsistent case count (407 versus the documented analytic sample of 400). Because participant-level data were unavailable during revision, these analyses could not be re-estimated with collapsed categories, exact tests, or multivariable regression and are therefore not treated as confirmatory evidence. Finally, some percentages in the earlier manuscript were internally inconsistent; where they could not be verified, the revised text avoids drawing substantive conclusions from them. Conclusion: The findings describe substantial variation in online gaming intensity, self-regulation, and family-related experiences among adults surveyed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Approximately 45.70% reported gaming for more than four hours per day and 37.35% reported two to four hours per day. These figures indicate intensive engagement, not clinical levels of Gaming Disorder. Respondents also reported behavioural indicators relevant to problematic gaming, including unsuccessful attempts to reduce gaming, interference with responsibilities, and gaming-related family conflict. At the same time, many participants reported being able to resist gaming urges or use self-imposed limits. Together, these findings show heterogeneous patterns of gaming engagement and self-control rather than a single category of “addicted” versus “non-addicted” respondents. The results should be interpreted as descriptive evidence from a non-probability urban sample. The study cannot establish that gaming caused family conflict, reduced productivity, psychological distress, or weaker self-control. Instead, it documents that intensive gaming and several self-reported difficulties co-occurred among some respondents. In Pakistan’s rapidly digitising urban environment, these patterns are sociologically relevant because online gaming intersects with family expectations, work and study responsibilities, leisure practices, and access to digital technologies. Future research should compare urban and rural settings while using validated instruments for problematic gaming or Gaming Disorder, validated family-functioning and self-control measures, probability-based recruitment where feasible, and longitudinal designs. Such studies would allow researchers to distinguish intensive but non-problematic engagement from clinically significant impairment and to assess whether family and self-control variables predict later changes in gaming behaviour after adjustment for demographic and psychosocial factors. In conclusion, this study identifies patterns of intensive online gaming and several gaming-related behavioural and family indicators among surveyed adults in Pakistan’s Twin Cities. The evidence does not provide a clinical prevalence estimate of Gaming Disorder because no validated diagnostic scale or cut-off was used. The findings therefore support awareness of healthy digital-use practices and further sociological and public-health research, rather than diagnostic claims about the sampled population.