Comorbidity of internet gaming disorder and anxiety in first-year Chinese university students: the mediating role of behavioral inhibition and activation systems

These findings highlight anxiety's central role in IGD, with an imbalance in reward and punishment sensitivity closely associated with the comorbidity. Intense gaming rewards reinforce the drive to continue playing, while cessation triggers negative emotions like anxiety. These results emphasize the need for interventions that promote healthier emotional regulation in individuals with IGD and comorbid anxiety.