Prevalence, Severity, and Neuropsychiatric Correlates of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Saudi University Student Gamers: An Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Despite the WHO’s recognition of Gaming Disorder in the ICD-11, epidemiological data on its prevalence and neuropsychiatric correlates among Saudi Arabian university students remain limited. Such data are critical for calibrating campus mental health resources and developing evidence-based screening protocols. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in a sample of Saudi university student gamers and evaluate the clinical utility of impulsivity and resilience as case-detection tools. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey of students who engaged in electronic gaming for at least one hour per week (N = 207; 58.9% male), participants completed the IGDS9-SF, CD-RISC-10, and S-UPPS-P scales. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to identify predictors and compare the discriminative validity of the constructs. Results: Among these student gamers, the overall IGD prevalence was 18.4%, with significantly higher rates in males (24.6%) than females (9.4%; χ2(1) = 7.71, p = 0.006). Significant predictors of IGD included sex, daily gaming hours, higher impulsivity, and lower resilience. ROC analysis revealed that a composite impulsivity-resilience index (AUC = 0.80) outperformed single-construct screening using only impulsivity (AUC = 0.71) or resilience (AUC = 0.68). Cases exhibited markedly higher impulsivity and lower resilience than non-cases. Conclusions: Among Saudi university student gamers, IGD prevalence is clinically significant, particularly among heavier and male gamers. A composite impulsivity-resilience screening index showed superior detection accuracy in this sample and warrants further validation for integration into university mental health assessment protocols.