Education Psychology Perspective: Does Excessive Digital Gaming Impair Cognitive Flexibility? Evidence from Neurodivergent Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55737/tk/2k25d.44163Keywords:
Excessive Digital Gaming, Cognitive Flexibility, Neurodivergent Students, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderAbstract
Numerous studies have investigated the association between excessive digital gaming and its impact on cognitive flexibility; however, when it comes to neurodivergent individuals, such studies are limited. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of excessive digital gaming on cognitive flexibility, particularly among neurodivergent students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the cultural context of Pakistan. The study adopted a cross-sectional correlational design and employed a purposive sampling technique.The inclusion criteria for the study comprised students diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, or both, with an age range of 12 to 19 years (i.e., adolescents only). The study utilized two questionnaires, namely the Gaming Addiction Scale for Adolescents and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. The findings demonstrated a significant negative correlation between excessive digital gaming and cognitive flexibility, indicating that higher levels of problematic gaming were associated with lower levels of cognitive flexibility among neurodivergent students. Furthermore, regression analysis demonstrated that excessive gaming significantly and negatively predicted cognitive flexibility. The study emphasizes the need for educational institutions and mental health professionals to foster balanced digital gaming habits and cognitive skill development among neurodivergent learners.
References
Adeoye, M. A., & Otemuyiwa, B. I. (2024). Navigating the future: Strategies of EdTech companies in driving educational transformation. JERIT: Journal of Educational Research and Innovation Technology, 1(1), 43–50. https://doi.org/10.34125/jerit.v1i1.10
Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
Bashir, S., Shahid, M. S., & Salman, F. (2024). The mediating role of social connectedness in linking Ludo Star game addiction and mental health problems in young adults. Gomal University Journal of Research, 40(3), 359–369. https://doi.org/10.51380/gujr-40-03-08
Bashir, S., Shahid, M. S., Bibi, M., & Mukhtar, S. (2024). Ludo Star game addiction, social connectedness and Psychological Well-being in university students of Lahore, Pakistan: Ludo Star game addiction, social connectedness and Psychological Well-being in university students. Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, 4(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v4i3.1273
Bediou, B., Adams, D. M., Mayer, R. E., Tipton, E., Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2018). Meta-analysis of action video game impact on perceptual, attentional, and cognitive skills. Psychological Bulletin, 144(1), 77–110. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000130
Demetriou, E. A., DeMayo, M. M., & Guastella, A. J. (2018). Executive function in autism spectrum disorder. Neuropsychology Review, 28(4), 433–451. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00753
Dennis, J. P., & Vander Wal, J. S. (2010). The Cognitive Flexibility Inventory. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 34(3), 241–253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-009-9276-4
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750
Griffiths, M. D., Kuss, D. J., & Pontes, H. M. (2016). A brief overview of Internet gaming disorder and its treatment. Australian Clinical Psychologist, 2(1), 20108. https://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/531036
Ioannidis, K., Hook, R., Goudriaan, A. E., Vlies, S., Fineberg, N. A., Grant, J. E., & Chamberlain, S. R. (2019). Cognitive deficits in problematic internet use: meta-analysis of 40 studies. The British Journal of Psychiatry: The Journal of Mental Science, 215(5), 639–646. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2019.3
Irfan, A., Abbas, N., Shahid, M. S., Ashraf, J., & Asif, A. (2025). Smartphone addiction and academic procrastination in university students: Psychological wellbeing as a moderator. Qualitative Research Journal for Social Studies, 2(2), 973–983. https://doi.org/10.63878/qrjs133
Khan, P., Shahid, M. S., & Majid, H. A. (2024). Mediating role of online social connectedness in smartphone addiction and online relationship among young adults. Gomal University Journal of Research, 40(3), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.51380/gujr-40-03-05
Lemmens, J. S., Valkenburg, P. M., & Peter, J. (2009). Development and validation of a game addiction scale for adolescents. Media Psychology, 12(1), 77–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213260802669458
Männikkö, N., Ruotsalainen, H., Miettunen, J., Pontes, H. M., & Kääriäinen, M. (2020). Problematic gaming behaviour and health-related outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(1), 67–81. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105317740414
Masi, L., Abadie, P., Herba, C., Emond, M., Gingras, M.-P., & Amor, L. B. (2021). Video games in ADHD and non-ADHD children: Modalities of use and association with ADHD symptoms. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 9, 632272. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.632272
Mazurek, M. O., & Engelhardt, C. R. (2013). Video game use and problem behaviors in boys with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 7(2), 316–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2012.09.008
Miyake, A., Friedman, N. P., Emerson, M. J., Witzki, A. H., Howerter, A., & Wager, T. D. (2000). The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex “Frontal Lobe” tasks: a latent variable analysis. Cognitive Psychology, 41(1), 49–100. https://doi.org/10.1006/cogp.1999.0734
Othman, Z., Fadzil, N. A., Binti Zakaria, W. N. A., & Wijaya, A. (2025). Mapping the research landscape of internet addiction and attention deficits. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 40(4), 759–778. https://doi.org/10.33824/pjpr.2025.40.4.44
Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., von Gontard, A., & Popow, C. (2018). Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 60(7), 645–659. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.13754
Shahid, M. S., Abid, S., Anmol, H., Ain, S. F. U., & Saleem, Z.-E.-H. (2025). Addictive behaviours and mental health outcomes: A quantitative comparative study. Regional Lens, 4(3), 144–154. https://doi.org/10.55737/rl.2025.42104
Shahid, M. S., Bashir, S., & Fatima, S. (2024). Social media addiction and aggression in Pakistani young adults: Social connectedness as a moderator. Journal of Professional & Applied Psychology, 5(3), 424–433. https://doi.org/10.52053/jpap.v5i3.308
Shahid, M. S., Bashir, S., & Shoaib, S. (2024). Online Ludo Game Addiction, and Aggression in Students: Negative Emotions as a Mediator. Journal of Research in Psychology (JRP), 2(2), 74-89. https://doi.org/10.46662/jrp.v2i2.32
Shahid, S., M., & Yaseen, F. (2025). PUBG game addiction, emotional regulation and aggression among young adults. Journal of Asian Development Studies, 14(1), 649–655. https://doi.org/10.62345/jads.2025.14.1.49
Singer, J. (2017). Neurodiversity: The birth of an idea. Judy Singer.
Turan, S., Çıray, R. O., Tunçtürk, M., Halac, E., Bilgic, B., Ağaç, N., & Ermiş, Ç. (2024). Social information processing and executive functions in male children and adolescents with internet gaming disorder. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 55(4), 1063–1072. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01468-8
von der Heiden, J. M., Braun, B., Müller, K. W., & Egloff, B. (2019). The association between video gaming and psychological functioning. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1731. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01731
Zhao, T., Zhang, S., Lv, Q., Li, Y., Li, D., Liu, M., & Lang, Y. (2025). Dynamic functional connectivity of the amygdala-hippocampal complex is associated with cognitive impairment in adolescents with Internet gaming disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16(1689119), 1689119. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1689119
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Copyright in the THE KNOWLEDGE is retained by the author(s). Authors also grant any third party the right to use the article freely as long as its integrity is maintained and its original authors, citation details and publisher are identified.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
