Gaming genres and competitiveness in Pakistani adolescents: examining the link to internet gaming disorder

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and competitiveness, influenced by gaming preferences, present growing challenges for adolescents. This cross-sectional study examines gender differences in IGD and competitiveness among adolescent gamers (boys: n = 227; girls: n = 160) using a convenient sampling technique. A two-way mixed factorial ANCOVA revealed that male gamers exhibited higher competitiveness than female gamers and non-gamers. Additionally, a mixed factorial ANOVA indicated that males playing PUBG had higher IGD scores compared to those playing other games. While females playing Puzzle/Quiz games exhibited greater IGD symptoms than those engaged in other games. Furthermore, both the male and female players of PUBG and Sport games demonstrated higher competitiveness than those preferring Puzzle/Quiz games. Notably, male PUBG players exhibited elevated IGD and competitiveness levels compared to both non-PUBG players and female players. These findings underscore the critical role of gaming genres in developing IGD symptoms and competitiveness, highlighting the need for age and gender-sensitive interventions. The results suggest that excessive engagement in competitive games may contribute to elevated IGD symptoms, underscoring the importance of monitoring adolescents’ gaming habits. Future research should explore underlying psychological and social mechanisms driving these differences to inform effective prevention strategies and digital literacy programs.