prevalence rates for problematic gaming<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 an umbrella term used when assessing gaming issues broadly \u2013 are about 5.08 per cent in Asian regions and 2.72 per cent in Europe.<\/p>\nThe study by Prof Chew, whose primary area of research is on behavioural addictions, surveyed 1,008 participants aged 18 to 40 and offers new local insights on the scale of gaming-related disorders among young adults.<\/p>\n
Conducted in 2023, it was published in academic journal Psychiatric Quarterly in February 2025.<\/p>\n
Observers said the findings point to a deeper need for connection and a \u201cthird place\u201d \u2013 what urban sociologists call a social space outside home and school or work \u2013 with gaming increasingly filling that role for youth here.<\/p>\n
Similar studies here have reported problematic gaming rates of 8.7 per cent among primary and secondary school children, and 15.4 per cent for college students.<\/p>\n
Prof Chew\u2019s study defined IGD as excessive online gaming marked by symptoms such as loss of control, tolerance and withdrawal.<\/p>\n
GD is referred to as persistent gaming behaviour, offline and online, that takes priority over other activities and causes impairment in daily life.<\/p>\n
Males were more at risk than females,\u00a0with\u00a07.2 per cent to 14.6 per cent of them meeting the criteria for the disorders, compared with 2.8 per cent to 6.2 per cent for females.<\/p>\n
Participants reported their gaming behaviours over 12 months in an online survey measuring their gaming motivations, mental health and sleep quality.<\/p>\n
Those with disorders reported more time spent gaming, stronger desire for gaming motivations like fantasy and competition, more negative emotions like anxiety, and poorer sleep than those without.<\/p>\n
Experts and youth counsellors\u00a0said \u201cpush\u201d factors such as stress, boredom and emotional struggles, alongside \u201cpull\u201d factors like immersive design and built-in rewards, can fuel problematic gaming.<\/p>\n
The findings come amid growing concern in Singapore over excessive screen use, which some say reflect underlying struggles such as academic pressure, family stress, anxiety or depression.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people are stressed, they will look for forms of escape,\u201d said Prof Chew, adding that in some countries, this may take the form of alcohol or gambling.<\/p>\n
But in Singapore, these outlets are relatively costly or restricted, he said.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/d9de3de1035dbb7ce8c6083370366a39bcf05888a599c0ff564dfe5cfc5cd066.webp\")
<\/p>\n
For children, phones offer a quick escape in a country where opportunities for play can seem limited.<\/p>\n
Photo: Kevin Lim<\/p>\n
In contrast, gaming and social media are easily accessible.\u00a0\u201cThey\u2019re mostly free and unregulated. If you\u2019re tech savvy, it\u2019s very easy to just use them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Other \u201cpush\u201d factors that drive problematic gaming include\u00a0boredom and\u00a0a search for connection, said Ms Carmmen Lee, lead social worker at youth organisation Trybe.<\/p>\n
She added that many youth she works with create virtual worlds where they can become the person they want to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey may not have a good relationship with their family, but online, they may be able to have a different persona,\u201d Ms Lee said. \u201cThis makes them feel needed, useful, and they want to continue to play that role.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr S. B. Viknesan, principal counsellor at the National Addictions Management Service at the Institute of Mental Health, said games today are becoming increasingly immersive, with technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can have relationships in games, meet people,\u201d he said. \u201cThis can pull people in, especially those going through a stressful period in their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some games also feature gambling-like elements, such as loot boxes or in-game purchases, which can make them more addictive.<\/p>\n
For children, phones offer a quick escape in a country where opportunities for play can\u00a0seem limited, with restrictions around open spaces and schedules filled with tuition and extracurricular activities, Ms Lee said.<\/p>\n
The need for a \u2018third place\u2019<\/p>\n
Some like Mr Narasimman Tivasiha Mani, co-founder of Impart, believe that gaming is not all bad.<\/p>\n
Many young people use games as a space to explore their identity and connect with peers, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of youth spaces nowadays have adults there, but what young people need are third spaces where they are seen\u2026 where they can connect with other young people,\u201d Mr Narasimman said, adding that this is part of Impart\u2019s mission as it works with youth facing adversities.<\/p>\n
\u201cProviding them positive childhood experiences in these spaces can be a buffer for adversities they face in their life,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Mr Calvin Leong, who oversees community programmes at Impart, said third places allow youth to be curious about their lives and behaviours \u2013 including gaming \u2013 without immediate judgment. Such spaces, which could be online or offline, like gyms and gatherings over hobbies, help build social skills, resilience and confidence.<\/p>\n
Games help youth with low self-esteem find purpose, he said. \u201c(They) show them that they can learn, and have the potential to do more than what they think they can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead of demonising gaming, Mr Narasimman and Mr Leong distinguish between healthy gaming \u2013 which focuses on mastery, teamwork and connection \u2013 and unhealthy gaming, which encourages players to keep playing, often by giving small, frequent rewards and which features extreme violence.<\/p>\n
Minecraft is an example of a \u201chealthy game\u201d, which Impart uses to reach out to youth.<\/p>\n
When gaming becomes problematic, Impart encourages youth to reflect on what the gaming experience provides for them, mirroring the approach used in third places.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to let youth know that it\u2019s okay to be curious, it\u2019s okay to want to explore,\u201d Mr Leong said. \u201cWe want our youth to find that spark in them again through these third spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n
How to identify signs of harmful gamingPreoccupation with gaming at the expense of other activitiesIsolation from family, friends, or previously enjoyed social activitiesAvoiding responsibilities or basic self-care (for example, skipping meals and neglecting hygiene)Secretive behaviour around gaming or screen useAnxiety, irritability or aggression when devices are taken away or access is restrictedHigh levels of stress, negative emotions, or mood swings tied to gamingDeclining school or work performanceDifficulty waking up in the morning or maintaining a regular sleep scheduleFinancial strain from in-game purchases, subscriptionsRelationships with partners, peers or family suffering due to excessive gamingTips for healthy gaming and online habitsTake regular breaks from gamingEngage in offline activities like sports, exercise or hobbies. Reinforce a balanced lifestyle that includes sleep, schoolwork, chores and family time alongside gamingTalk to a trusted adult, family member or therapist if you are facing stress or difficult situationsCreate a schedule or timetable to manage gaming and other activitiesEnsure adequate sleep and self-care, even while gamingTips for parents to manage gamingUse the internet with your childrenTake interest in the games they are playing and friends they are making onlineTeach children to recognise unhealthy behaviour like neglecting schoolwork, sleeping lateTake time daily to check in with your children on their school life, relationshipsEstablish clear family rules for internet useChoose video games that are child-friendly and age-appropriate; try playing them firstUse parental controls to limit screen time and monitor game usageHelp children develop offline coping skills to manage stress, anxiety or other difficult emotions<\/p>\n
Note: This article was written by Gabrielle Chan and first appeared in The Straits Times on 01 February 2026.<\/p>\n
Source: The Straits Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A study has found higher rates of problematic gaming and related problems, such as excessive gaming and depression,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":284792,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[1022,5968,163,85,46,1092,522,523,8075,2252,92208],"class_list":{"0":"post-284791","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-game","9":"tag-gaming","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-il","12":"tag-israel","13":"tag-kids","14":"tag-mental-health","15":"tag-mentalhealth","16":"tag-school","17":"tag-singapore","18":"tag-straits-times"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284791\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/284792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}