Driven to disconnect: The role of desire thinking, desire to dissociation, motives, and resilience in gaming disorder

Objective and background

The aim of the present study was to examine how desire thinking, desire for dissociation, motives, and resilience relate to Gaming Disorder (GD) as defined by the ICD-11, and to determine its prevalence in a representative sample of Polish gamers. Previous research identifies dissociation as a key factor in the development of problematic gaming, where it serves as a mechanism for emotional regulation and avoidance in response to psychological distress. Conceptualized as a continuum, dissociation encompasses various levels of cognitive disengagement, including a voluntary desire to dissociate. C-DOG model underscores dissociation’s central role in the shift from adaptive to maladaptive gaming, marking a breakdown in the integration between physical and virtual realities. The I-PACE model further highlights desire thinking as a critical cognitive-emotional process involved in cue-reactivity, craving, and impaired inhibitory control. Desire thinking amplifies the urge for relief or gratification and fosters habitual engagement through attention to gaming cues and internal rationalization. Motivation is broadly recognized as a fundamental driver of human behavior, influencing cognition, affect, and action. In the context of gaming, different types of motivation—particularly coping and escapism motives—have been associated with GD. Meanwhile, resilience has been shown to serve as a protective factor, potentially acting as a mediator in the relationship between psychological distress and problematic gaming behavior.

Method

This epidemiological study included responses from 2,738 gamers, recruited via an external research panel. Prevalence, risk factors, and protective factors were assessed using a set of validated self-report questionnaires. A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach with mediation analysis was employed to examine the relationships between key variables.

Results

The prevalence of GD in the representative sample of Polish gamers was 2.9% (n = 80). Desire thinking, desire for dissociation, as well as enhancement and social motives emerged as significant predictors of GD. Resilience was confirmed as a statistically significant protective factor. Additionally, desire thinking was found to mediate the relationship between dissociation and GD.

Conclusions

GD affects a measurable proportion of Polish gamers, aligning with prevalence estimates reported in other European countries. This study represents the first attempt to assess GD prevalence within a representative sample of Polish gamers, marking a significant contribution to the epidemiological understanding of GD in Central Europe. The findings regarding predictive variables are consistent with the assumptions of established theoretical models, offering empirical validation of their core mechanisms. Increased dissociative tendencies were strongly associated with GD symptoms, supporting the view of dissociation as a transdiagnostic mechanism linked to impaired self-regulation and maladaptive coping strategies. Desire thinking was confirmed as a central cognitive process that amplifies the urge for gratification or relief, while also sustaining habitual engagement through attentional bias toward gaming cues and internal rationalization. The transfer of social interaction to virtual environments may serve as a compensatory strategy for real-world social needs, reinforcing engagement in gaming. Finally, the protective function of resilience was empirically supported, highlighting its universal role in buffering against problematic gaming behavior, regardless of specific motivational or cognitive vulnerabilities.