Beyond the Anti-Gaming Narrative: An Association Rule Mining Analysis of Problematic Gaming and Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Problematic gaming has become a pressing issue in higher education, often linked to student well-being and academic performance. This study applies association rule mining (ARM) to explore the complex relationships between gaming behaviours, demographic factors, and educational outcomes among undergraduates.  A seven-item Game Addiction Scale (GAS-7) questionnaire was administered to a total of 324 (Male 107; Female 217) with mean age and standard deviation 20.96±0.98 and their responses were recorded. The Apriori algorithm was employed with a minimum support of 0.08 and confidence of 0.5 to identify high-lift network connected with behavioural addiction and academic performance.  Eight key rules emerged, challenging conventional assumptions about academic decline. Notably, problem gaming showed a strong positive association with high academic achievement among first-year students living off campus (lift = 1.806, confidence = 0.833). A gendered technological divide was also evident: male students were more closely linked to computer-based problem gaming (lift = 1.376), while mobile gaming correlated with non-problematic use across genders. Campus residence consistently appeared protective, aligning with controlled, non-pathological gaming habits.  These findings highlight the need for universities to move beyond generic anti-gaming narratives and adopt targeted, platform-specific 
wellness strategies. Interventions should focus on high-achieving first-year students and those in unsupervised off-campus housing, addressing the environmental and academic pressures that drive intensive gaming. These approaches can promote balanced digital engagement while safeguarding both academic success and psychological health.