Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41266244›Full record

ArticleJournal of epidemiology and community health2026

Associations between relative deprivation and problematic gaming in adolescence: evidence from an Italian representative sample.

Tommaso Galeotti, Michela Lenzi, Frank J Elgar, Claudia Marino, Natale Canale, Marta Gaboardi, Gonneke W J M Stevens, Hilde Brons, Silvia Ciardullo, Giacomo Lazzeri and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of epidemiology and community health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Tommaso GaleottiDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy tommaso.galeotti@phd.unipd.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1442-3747
Michela LenziDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy.
Frank J ElgarDepartment of Equity, Ethics and Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0290-5500
Claudia MarinoDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy.
Natale CanaleDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy.
Marta GaboardiDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy.
Gonneke W J M StevensInterdisciplinary Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Hilde BronsFaculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Silvia CiardulloNational Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
Giacomo LazzeriDepartment of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, Università degli Studi di Siena, Siena, Italy.
Alessio VienoDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProblematic gaming is a known risk factor for adolescent well-being. Yet, socioeconomic factors that might contribute to problematic gaming in adolescence have not been fully explored. This study examined the association between relative deprivation, defined as an individual's financial gap relative to their classmates, and problematic gaming in a representative sample of Italian adolescents.

methodsWe analysed data on family material assets and self-reported symptoms of problematic gaming from 58 881 participants in the 2021/2022 Italian Health Behaviour in school-aged children study. Relative deprivation was measured using the Yitzhaki index, with classmates as a social reference group. Associations with problematic gaming were tested using a two-level multiple logistic regression model while accounting for the effects of economic, sociodemographic and psychological factors.

resultsAdolescents reporting higher relative deprivation were eight times more likely to be classified as problematic gamers compared with their better-off peers, after controlling for individual and class-level deprivation, and self-efficacy beliefs. Males, younger adolescents and adolescents with lower self-efficacy were more at risk of being problematic gamers.

conclusionThe current study expands the existing literature on the detrimental impact of inequalities on adolescent behaviours by highlighting the association between relative deprivation and problematic gaming. Policymakers are advised to implement measures to reduce inequalities and mitigate maladaptive gaming patterns among adolescents.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorBehavior, AddictiveInternet Addiction DisorderVideo GamesAdolescentChildFemaleHumansItalyMaleRisk FactorsSelf EfficacySelf ReportSocioeconomic Factorsadolescentbehavior, addictivehealth behaviorpublic health

Identifiers

PMID41266244
PMCPMC13018766

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.