ONLINE GAMING ADDICTION, NARCISSISM, AND CYBERBULLYING PERPETRATION AMONG YOUNG PAKISTANI ADULTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Background: Online gaming has become an integral part of youth culture, with both violent and non-violent games exerting psychological effects on players. Research indicates significant associations between gaming addiction, narcissistic traits, and cyberbullying. However, specific comparisons between violent (e.g., PUBG) and non-violent (e.g., online Ludo) game players remain underexplored in Pakistan, where digital gaming continues to grow among young adults. Understanding these behavioral outcomes is essential for informing mental health and cyber-awareness interventions. Objective: This study aimed to examine and compare levels of online gaming addiction, narcissism, and cyberbullying perpetration between PUBG and online Ludo players among Pakistani young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was adopted. Data were collected from 250 Pakistani college and university students aged 18–30 years through purposive sampling. The Gaming Addiction Scale for Adolescents (GASA), Narcissistic Personality Inventory (Short Form), and the cyberbullying perpetration subscale of the Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization Questionnaire were used. Statistical analyses included Pearson product-moment correlation and independent samples t-tests. Results: The study comprised 126 PUBG players (50.4%) and 124 Ludo players (49.6%), with a mean age of 22.18±1.95 years. A significant positive correlation was found between online gaming addiction and narcissism (r = .18, p < .01), gaming addiction and cyberbullying perpetration (r = .37, p < .01), and narcissism and cyberbullying perpetration (r = .44, p < .01). PUBG players scored significantly higher on narcissism (M = 13.96, SD = 1.81) than Ludo players (M = 12.66, SD = 3.68; t = 3.54, p = .001). No significant mean differences were observed in online gaming addiction (t = .14, p = .88) or cyberbullying perpetration (t = .71, p = .47). Conclusion: The findings underscore significant psychological implications of online gaming, particularly regarding narcissism in violent game players. These results highlight the need for digital literacy programs and emotional regulation interventions targeting Pakistani youth.