Escapism motivations and related processes (e.g., avoidance, dissociation, relaxation, and
emotion dysregulation) have been identified as risk factors for problematic gaming. However,
the escapism construct has often been poorly conceptualized and operationalized in
assessment instruments. In their systematic review, Melodia et al. (2020) proposed that
conceptualizing escapism as an avoidant coping strategy could provide a sound basis for
further study of problematic gaming. In this commentary, we critically examine some terminological
and conceptual issues in relation to escapism to guide future research.