Driven to disconnect: desire thinking, desire for dissociation, motivation, and resilience in gaming disorder

This study explores the psychological mechanisms underlying Gaming Disorder (GD) among Polish gamers, situating its findings within broader European and global contexts. Data were collected from a representative sample of Polish gamers (N = 2738; 18-65 years, 55.6% women) via an online survey. Participants completed validated self-report measures. Structural equation modelling was used to test a hypothesised model examining these factors as potential predictors and protective variables of GD. Central to the analysis is the role of Desire to dissociate, which significantly influenced all examined variables, particularly Desire Thinking and gaming motives. Desire to dissociate, a form of avoidance, emerged as a core factor, contributing to maladaptive cognitive and motivational processes associated with problematic gaming. Desire Thinking had the strongest association with GD symptoms, supporting theoretical models such as S-REF and I-PACE, which frame it as a perseverative cognitive process sustaining addictive behaviours. Additionally, gaming motives-especially enhancement and social interaction-were linked to GD risk, with online games often replacing traditional social interactions. Importantly, Resilience was identified as a protective factor against both GD symptoms and dissociative tendencies. The study highlights a conceptual overlap between Desire to Dissociate and Immersion, suggesting that excessive Immersion may evolve into dissociative gaming, increasing vulnerability to addiction.