The effect of interpersonal communication competence on online game addiction among university students

Ilya A. Maltsev 1, Albina R. Sadykova 2, Oksana V. Shiryaeva-Shiring 3, Natalya S. Erokhova 4, Natalia V. Savchenko 5, Tatyana T. Belova 6 * , Denis A. Dobrokhotov 1
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1 Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, RUSSIA
2 Department of Informatics, Management and Technology, Moscow City University, Moscow, RUSSIA
3 Institute of Interdisciplinary Education and Ibero-American Studies, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, RUSSIA
4 Institute of Foreign Languages, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, RUSSIA
5 Department of the English Language and Professional Communication, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow, RUSSIA
6 Almetyevsk State Technological University “Petroleum High School”, Almetyevsk, RUSSIA
* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume 16, Issue 2, Article No: e202621. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/18460
OPEN ACCESS   52 Views   16 Downloads   Published online: 23 Apr 2026
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This article belongs to the special issue "Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Communication, Education, and Ethics in the Digital Age"

ABSTRACT

Online game addiction (OGA) has emerged as a significant psychological issue among university students, although the influence of interpersonal communication competency on this phenomenon is inadequately elucidated. This research investigated the correlations between interpersonal communication competence (ICC) and OGA among university students in Russia. The study involved 384 students from a state university and employed a convenience sample method predicated on voluntary participation. Data were gathered using an online questionnaire and examined utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that the environmental control dimension had significant negative effects on tolerance and withdrawal, while the interaction management dimension showed significant positive effects on significance and problems. Additional group analyses revealed that various relationships varied according to gender and daily Internet usage duration. Overall, ICC failed to successfully explain why people became addicted to online games. The study contributed to the research literature by demonstrating that ICC is not a consistent protective factor against OGA and that its effects are specific to certain dimensions and contexts. These findings suggest that communication-related issues should be examined alongside broader psychosocial variables in research and intervention efforts addressing problematic gaming among university students.
Keywords: interpersonal communication competence, online game addiction, university students, structural equation modeling, PLS-SEM

CITATION

Maltsev, I. A., Sadykova, A. R., Shiryaeva-Shiring, O. V., Erokhova, N. S., Savchenko, N. V., Belova, T. T., & Dobrokhotov, D. A. (2026). The effect of interpersonal communication competence on online game addiction among university students. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 16(2), e202621. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/18460

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