以事件關聯振盪的Theta與Beta比值探討大學生網路遊戲成癮高低風險者的社交大腦活動差異

The Theta/Beta Ratio in Virtual Reality-Based Event-Related Oscillations Reveals Social Brain Activity Differences Between College Students With and Without Excessive Internet Gaming Use

研究目的：網路遊戲成癮者（IGD）常有社交焦慮，為此本研究利用虛擬實境（VR）技術誘發事件關聯震盪（EROs），再使用其中的theta／beta ratio（TBR）探討IGD高低風險者於社交大腦活動差異。研究方法：本研究招募60位大學生為參與者，中文版線上遊戲成癮量表分數達五分且每週遊戲時間超過10小時者，被認定為高風險組，反之是低風險。完成相關量表後，參與者穿戴結合VR之腦波儀。觀看十字與社交VR影片時，腦波活動也被記錄。研究結果：30位高風險（年齡= 20.07歲，56.7%女性）與30位低風險（年齡= 21.77歲，73.3%女性），高風險的社交互動焦慮分數高於對照組（p = 0.02），但情緒調節分數無顯著差異（both p > 0.05）。IGD高風險者面對情境壓力時Fz（1.84 vs. 1.33；d = 0.60）與Cz（1.45 vs. 1.03；d = 0.71）的TBR顯著高於低風險者（both p < 0.01），且TBR與焦慮呈顯著正相關（p = 0.03）。此外，對比低風險者，高風險者（平均分數41.97）也自覺社交互動焦慮較低風險者高（35.07）（p = 0.02，d = 0.60）。研究結論：主觀報告與腦波數據均顯示IGD與社交壓力有密切關係。

Purpose: Individuals with internet gaming disorder (IGD) often exhibit social anxiety, which causes them to avoid social situations or to enter an inattentive state when social interaction is unavoidable. The theta/beta ratio (TBR) is widely utilized as an electrophysiological (EEG) index of attentional change. We investigated differences in social brain activity between individuals at high and low risk for IGD by using virtual reality (VR) to elicit event-related oscillations (EROs) and then analyzing the TBR. Methods: We recruited 60 college students aged 18-26 (65% female) and assigned them to a high-risk group (HIGD) based on their score on the Chinese version of the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10, score≥5) and the number of hours they reported playing online games per week (≥10); we placed the rest in a low-risk (LIGD) group. After completing the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), participants wore the study equipment, which integrates VR and EEG devices. Their EEG responses were recorded as they watched virtual socioemotional scenarios. Results: The HIGD group consisted of 30 participants (mean age = 20.07 years, 56.7% female) and the LIGD group also had 30 participants (mean age = 21.77 years, 73.3% female). We identified a significant difference in addiction scores between the groups (p < .01), and the HIGD group also scored significantly higher on the SIAS than the LIGD group (p < .05). In contrast, we found no significant difference between the 2 groups in ERQ (reappraisal: p = .96; suppression: p = .48). The EEG data indicated that the HIGD group exhibited significantly higher TBR in the Fz and Cz electrodes (MFz = 1.84, MCz = 1.45) than the LIGD group (MFz = 1.33, MCz = 1.03) while watching the VR films (p < .05), indicating reduced attentional engagement in social contexts. Moreover, the TBR values in both groups was significantly positively correlated with the SIAS scores (p < .05). Based on within-subject comparisons, the HIGD group had a significant increase in their TBR from baseline (MFz = 1.52, MCz = 1.27) after watching the film (MFz = 1.84, MCz = 1.45) (p < .05), whereas we observed no such change in the LIGD group (before: MFz = 1.38, MCz = 1.07; after: MFz = 1.33, MCz = 1.03) (p > .05). Conclusion: Subjective reports and our EEG data indicate a strong association between IGD and social stress, suggesting that both may serve as valuable assessment tools in school counseling and clinical settings.