Byeon H. Impact of video game addiction on social interaction: An observational review examining loneliness, social anxiety, and social activity. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(12): 110653 [PMID: 41357943 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i12.110653]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Haewon Byeon, PhD, Associate Professor, Director, Worker’s Care and Digital Health Lab, Department of Future Technology, Korea University of Technology and Education, KUTE Main Campus: 1600 Chungjeol-ro, Cheonan 31253, South Korea. bhwpuma@naver.com
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Psychiatry
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Systematic Reviews
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 19, 2025 (publication date) through Dec 12, 2025
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Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Psychiatry
ISSN
2220-3206
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Byeon H. Impact of video game addiction on social interaction: An observational review examining loneliness, social anxiety, and social activity. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(12): 110653 [PMID: 41357943 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i12.110653]
World J Psychiatry. Dec 19, 2025; 15(12): 110653 Published online Dec 19, 2025. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i12.110653
Impact of video game addiction on social interaction: An observational review examining loneliness, social anxiety, and social activity
Haewon Byeon
Haewon Byeon, Worker’s Care and Digital Health Lab, Department of Future Technology, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan 31253, South Korea
Author contributions: Byeon H contributed to this paper; involved in data interpretation; developed methodology; and wrote the article.
Supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea Funded by the Ministry of Education, No. NRF- RS-2023-00237287.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Haewon Byeon, PhD, Associate Professor, Director, Worker’s Care and Digital Health Lab, Department of Future Technology, Korea University of Technology and Education, KUTE Main Campus: 1600 Chungjeol-ro, Cheonan 31253, South Korea. bhwpuma@naver.com
Received: June 12, 2025 Revised: July 7, 2025 Accepted: October 15, 2025 Published online: December 19, 2025 Processing time: 169 Days and 1.6 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Excessive video game use, recognized as internet gaming disorder in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition and Gaming Disorder in International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, has raised concerns regarding its effects on individuals’ social well-being.
AIM
To analyze the association between internet gaming disorder and social interaction across Western and Asian populations.
METHODS
The review examined 14 observational studies published between 2000 and 2025. It assessed the frequency and quality of face-to-face interactions, the shift towards online socialization, and the methodological quality of the included studies.
RESULTS
The findings generally indicate that gaming addiction is associated with a decrease in the frequency of offline social interaction. Addicted gamers reported spending less time with family and friends and experiencing increased isolation. Furthermore, the quality of social relationships appeared poorer, with addicted gamers reporting higher levels of loneliness, lower social support, and decreased relationship satisfaction. While online social interactions increased, they did not fully compensate for the loss of real-world connections.
CONCLUSION
This review highlights the potential of gaming addiction to negatively impact overall social lives, emphasizing the necessity for interventions focused on promoting real-world social engagement.
Core Tip: This review of observational studies (2000-2025) reveals a significant association between internet gaming disorder and decreased real-life social interaction. Addicted gamers experience more loneliness, social anxiety, and reduced social support. While online socializing increases, it doesn’t replace the benefits of face-to-face relationships. The findings suggest that excessive gaming often leads to social withdrawal and poorer quality social connections, highlighting the importance of addressing gaming addiction to improve individuals’ social well-being.
