Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41393665›Full record

ArticleCureus2025

Assessing the Impact of Video Games on Social Interactions and Isolation Among Male Students in Various Universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Layan D Alshehri, Nawaf Alnuwaysir, Kady Alsarhan, Amaal M AlQahtani, Aryam F Almutairi, Nouf A Zurayyir, Maha A Alanazi, Rola Alasmari, Leen D Alajmi, Jana A Alhulayyil and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Layan D AlshehriCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Nawaf AlnuwaysirCommunity Health Sciences Department, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.
Kady AlsarhanCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Amaal M AlQahtaniCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Aryam F AlmutairiCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Nouf A ZurayyirCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Maha A AlanaziCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Rola AlasmariCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Leen D AlajmiCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Jana A AlhulayyilCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Shahad Z AlsharifCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Dalia W AlqahtaniCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.
Lujain M AlwadaniCollege of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences/Epidemiology, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and objective Video gaming (VG) has become a global phenomenon. Prolonged gaming can lead to a loss of control and prioritization of gaming over daily activities, a condition known as gaming disorder, which may reduce social interactions and influence how individuals relate to others. This study aimed to evaluate awareness and perceptions of the effects of video gaming on mental well-being. Additionally, it sought to examine the duration and frequency of gaming and their association with the severity of social isolation and loneliness. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study involving 1,279 male students across different universities in Riyadh. The questionnaire was organized into five sections, covering areas such as sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge regarding the effects of gaming on social isolation. Data were collected for the period from October 2024 until April 2025. Results A total of 1,071 students reported playing video games, with 52.85% acknowledging that video game players tend to be socially isolated. The majority of participants were from Science colleges (23.25%), and approximately 42.86% reported spending two to four hours per day gaming. Computers and tablets emerged as the most commonly used devices (41.13%). Notably, 69% of students were aware of the negative impact of video gaming on social interactions. A significant association was observed between the number of daily gaming hours and the level of social isolation (p<0.0001). Conclusions The study emphasizes the need for public health intervention that promotes a more balanced relationship between video gaming and real-life engagement. It recommends collaboration between universities and policymakers to raise awareness of the potential risks associated with video gaming and to promote a healthier balance between digital activities and in-person social interaction.

Indexed as

internet gaming disorderlonelinessmale studentssaudi arabiasocial isolationvideo gaming

Identifiers

PMID41393665
PMCPMC12696432

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.