{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T03:23:12Z","timestamp":1775100192983,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,2]],"date-time":"2025-11-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762041600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"national funds"},{"name":"FCT\/MCTES","award":["UIDB\/00319\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00319\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\/MCTES","award":["UIDB\/05549\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/05549\/2020"]}]},{"name":"FCT\/MCTES","award":["UDP\/05549\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UDP\/05549\/2020"]}]},{"name":"UNIAG","award":["UIDB\/04752\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04752\/2020"]}]},{"name":"UNIAG","award":["UIDP\/04752\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/04752\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Depression, anxiety, and stress are increasingly prevalent among university students, raising concerns about the role of video gaming behaviors, social support, and academic factors in mental health. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), recognized in international classifications, has been linked to psychological distress but remains underexplored in Portuguese higher education students. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationships between IGD, social support, academic performance, and mental health outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with Portuguese university students, collecting sociodemographic information, gaming habits, academic performance, social support, and mental health indicators. Data analyses included non-parametric tests, Spearman correlations, and multiple linear regression models to explore group differences, associations, and predictors of mental health outcomes. Results: No significant gender or age differences were observed in social support or mental health. Students living with parents, engaging in multiplayer gaming, and exercising regularly reported higher social support. Social support correlated negatively with depression, anxiety, and stress, whereas IGD correlated positively with these symptoms. Regression analyses identified academic performance, IGD, and intimacy as predictors of depression; family satisfaction as a predictor of anxiety; and family satisfaction and academic performance as protective factors against stress. Conclusions: Findings highlight the interplay of behavioral, social, and academic factors influencing students\u2019 mental health. Effective interventions should reinforce family support and students\u2019 academic self-efficacy, alongside fostering responsible gaming practices. Limitations include cross-sectional design and self-reported measures, indicating the need for longitudinal studies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app152111706","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T13:22:36Z","timestamp":1762176156000},"page":"11706","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Video Gaming and Its Effects on Mental Health in Portuguese Higher Education Students: An Exploratory Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5365-636X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gon\u00e7alo Andrade","family":"Pires","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"UNIDCOM\/IADE\u2014Unidade de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Design e Comunica\u00e7\u00e3o, Faculty of Design, Technology and Communication\u2014IADE, Universidade Europeia, 1885-060 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6749-0900","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariana","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2Ai\u2014School of Technology, Polytechnic Institute of C\u00e1vado and Ave\u2014IPCA, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Associate Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3063-5117","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Estela","family":"Vilhena","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2Ai\u2014School of Technology, Polytechnic Institute of C\u00e1vado and Ave\u2014IPCA, 4750-810 Barcelos, Portugal"},{"name":"LASI\u2014Associate Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, 4800-058 Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1007\/s00127-008-0345-x","article-title":"The prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of depression, anxiety and stress among a group of university students","volume":"43","author":"Bayram","year":"2008","journal-title":"Soc. 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Sa\u00fade Doen\u00e7as"}],"container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3417\/15\/21\/11706\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,3]],"date-time":"2025-11-03T14:00:16Z","timestamp":1762178416000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3417\/15\/21\/11706"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,2]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"21","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11]]}},"alternative-id":["app152111706"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/app152111706","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3417"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3417","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,2]]}}}