VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1 SPRING 2024

Spirituality Studies 10-1 Spring 2024 89 Veronika Mihaliková, Mária Dědová, Vladimír Filipovič 2 Methods 2.1 Sample and Procedure In our research, 1163 respondents participated. Due to the age criterion, we had to exclude 458 people from the research study. Consequently, our research population consisted of 705 respondents, of which 597 were females and 108 were males aged 18 years and older (M = 19.8; SD = 2.52). Inclusion criteria for inclusion in the research were established: age 18 years and older and confirmation of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), which was determined based on the criteria by Pontes and Griffiths (2015, 139). Respondents who met at least five symptoms out of nine met the criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder. The core criteria for IGD disorder include: (a) interest in Internet games, (b) withdrawal symptoms when internet gaming stops, (c) tolerance, which leads to the need to spend more and more time playing internet games, (d) unsuccessful attempts to control participation in Internet games, (e) loss of interest in previous hobbies and pastimes as a result of and excluding Internet gaming, (f) continued excessive use of Internet games despite knowledge of psychosocial problems, (g) deceiving family members, therapists, or others regarding the amount of Internet gaming. Table 1 shows selected socio-demographic variables of the research population. The research was conducted from January 2022 to March 2022, through a questionnaire battery. Participation in the research was voluntary, anonymous and respondents confirmed their participation in the research through informed consent. The data collection was conducted in a combined online and face-to-face format with the participation of the researchers. Respondents were administered two different versions of the questionnaire with two different random orders of the questionnaire sections to reduce completion bias (e.g., Krosnick and Alwin 1987, 204). The research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Trnava University under Resolution no. 3/2022 on January 10, 2022. Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Sample Variable n = 705 Gender male 108 (15.3%) female 597 (84.7%) Age (years) mean 19.8 (range 18–69) Religion religious believers 695 (59.8%) religious non-believers 468 (40.2%)

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