Impact of Cognitive Distortions on Online Game Addiction: Moderating Role of Narcissistic Personality Trait

Game addiction is recognized as a significant behavioral issue, which is closely linked to cognitive distortions. The interplay between game addiction, cognitive distortions, and narcissism presents a complex scenery of behavioral and psychological factors. This study used cross sectional design. The sample was 220 university students (male=140, female=80) with age (M= 22.60, SD=1.17) studying at Bahauddin zakariya university Multan. The participants were selected through convenient sampling technique and three questionnaire (cognitive distortion scale, game addiction scale, and narcissist personality inventory) were used to collect data from participants. The results explored a significant positive relationship between cognitive distortions, narcissism and game addiction (p<.01), the cognitive distortions were found to predict game addiction significantly (p<.001). The results also revealed that the narcissistic personality traits moderated and weakened the association between cognitive distortions and game addiction (p<.01). In conclusion, despite their cognitive distortions, people with higher levels of narcissism are less likely to become addicted to games, probably because they have more self-esteem and access to other forms of validation. This study highlight the need for tailored treatment programs that address both cognitive distortions and personality traits, as well as preventive measures aimed at fostering healthier cognitive and emotional development in young adults.