Depressive symptoms as a predictor of addiction to tile-matching games: A cross-sectional study

Background: Tile-matching games engage millions of players worldwide by combining cognitive challenges, immediate rewards, immersive flow experiences, and visually and auditorily appealing designs that promote mastery, escapism, and repeated play. Meanwhile, video game addiction and depression are increasingly recognised as growing concerns for youth in Sri Lanka and across the globe.
Aims: This study was carried out to assess whether individuals experiencing depressive symptoms are more likely to exhibit addiction to tile-matching games.
Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 401 Sri Lankan adolescents and young adults who play video games. Data were collected through a pre-tested questionnaire administered through the snowball sampling method.
Results: The present study identified a significant association between depressive symptoms and video game addiction. The prevalence of gaming addiction was higher among tile-matching players (45.9%) than others (39.0%). Furthermore, tile-matching players showed higher unadjusted odds of addiction (OR = 6.29) compared to players of other games (OR = 4.79) among individuals with depressive symptoms versus those without depressive symptoms. Logistic regression confirmed depressive symptoms as the most significant predictor of addiction, although the interaction term for Depressive symp-toms × Game Type, was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are a significant predictor of video game addiction, including tile matching games, highlighting the importance of addressing mental health in preventive and intervention strategies.