People who have autistic-like traits, but fall short of a clinical diagnosis, are at risk of problematic gaming, according to a new Charles Darwin University (CDU) study exploring factors leading to gaming disorders.
Concerns over problematic video gaming have increased in recent years, with a billion new gamers emerging since 2015.
Co-Author, Professor Kim Caudwell said the findings don’t imply having autistic-like traits leads to problem gaming but highlights the importance of understanding what shapes gaming behaviour.
Meanwhile, researchers insist that vilifying gaming isn’t the solution but understanding the motives for when it becomes problematic should be the focus.
Image: Source – Pexel – JÉSHOOTS
Produced By: Sam Georgiou
Featured In Story: Professor Kim Caldwell the Associate Dean of Research at Charlestown University Faculty of Health
First aired on The Wire, Friday 5 September 2025