Features of Parent-Child Relationships in Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder

Problematic use of Internet games is recognized as a significant mental health issue for adolescents and their families. The present study investigated features of the parent-child relationship, including trust, communication, and alienation, in the context of adolescents’ Internet gaming problems. A total of 824 secondary school students (402 males and 422 females) aged 12 to 17 years completed a survey on Internet gaming activities; the DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) checklist and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). The results showed that adolescents with Internet gaming problems reported significantly less trust and communication, and greater anger and alienation, in their maternal and paternal relationships, as compared to adolescents without gaming problems. Adolescents at high risk of IGD reported significantly more gaming time with strangers (32.6 % vs. 7.9 %) and were more likely to play massively multiplayer online (MMO) games than non-problem adolescents. However, IPPA total scores did not significantly predict IGD symptoms, after controlling for gender and level of gaming activity, and IPPA scores did not mediate the association between Internet gaming time and IGD symptoms. Although family conflict can be one of the negative consequences of problematic gaming, these results suggest that, based on adolescent self-report, parent-child relationships may be only a weak correlate of Internet gaming problems in general.     

The Treatment of Internet Gaming Disorder: a Brief Overview of the PIPATIC Program

Over the last decade, there has been an increase in children and adolescents accessing psychology services regarding problematic use of online videogames. Consequently, providing effective treatment is essential. The present paper describes the design process of a manualized PIPATIC (Programa Individualizado Psicoterapéutico para la Adicción a las Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación) intervention program for 12- to 18-year-old adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder. The design and application of the PIPATIC program integrates several areas of intervention structured into six modules: psychoeducational, treatment as usual, intrapersonal, interpersonal, family intervention, and development of a new lifestyle. The program’s goals are to reduce the addiction symptoms related to online videogames and to improve the well-being of adolescents. Preliminary findings suggest positive and encouraging effects.

     

Measurement and Conceptualization of Gaming Disorder According to the World Health Organization Framework: the Development of the Gaming Disorder Test

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Previous research on gaming disorder (GD) has highlighted key methodological and conceptual hindrances stemming from the heterogeneity of...     

Maladaptive Coping Styles in Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms

Problematic Internet gaming represents a potential public health concern due to its negative consequences for players and their families. It has been argued that disordered gaming may manifest more readily in vulnerable individuals who lack alternative means of coping. This study investigated Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in relation to coping, including emotion- and problem-focused coping styles. The sample was 823 adolescents (402 males) recruited from secondary schools. Participants completed surveys including the DSM-5 IGD checklist and the Brief COPE. Symptoms of IGD were significantly positively related to denial and behavioural disengagement but were not related to 10 other coping styles. Hours spent gaming and denial coping were the strongest predictors of IGD symptoms. These findings suggest that IGD may co-occur with a tendency toward denial coping, highlighting the significant challenge for practitioners in obtaining reliable assessment by self-report and developing an effective therapeutic alliance in interventions for adolescents.     

A Scientometric Analysis and Critical Review of Internet Gaming Disorder Behaviours

There are increasing concerns about internet gaming disorder (IGD). No review of existing studies has systematically analyzed and visualized the trends of IGD and those early identification of symptoms related to IGD behaviors. This critical review focuses on the emerging trends for early identification of symptoms related to IGDbehaviors in papers published in Web of Science Core Collection from 2009 to 2021 by scientometric analysisand critical review. Scientometric data analysis technique includes co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis andburst analysis of authors, countries, keywords and co-citation to visualize those contributing and associated factors to develop IGD behaviors and their relationships to mental-emotional symptoms. About 81.8% of the paperswere published in the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, China and South Korea. Thetop co-occurrence keywords were ‘children’, ‘depression’, ‘anxiety’ and ‘attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)’, ‘scale’, identifying the population, characteristics and commonly used assessment tools that are susceptible to certain symptoms relating to IGD of which influencing factors facilitate the understanding of the association of sociodemographic characteristics. The main emerging topics were identified in this critical review afterconducted the scientometric analysis. The results identified five topics: game impulse, motivation, evaluationscale, mediating effects and diagnostic criteria. This study provides an overview of the research trends on theidentity and development of the IGD field of study.     

Gaming Disorder in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Gaming disorder (GD) is a clinical addiction to video or internet games. This study investigated whether GD symptoms are heightened in adults with...     

Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder,Inattention, and Impulsivity: a Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in the United Arab Emirates

Psychiatric Quarterly - The addictive use of internet video games is now recognized as a valid diagnostic construct by both the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association. A...     

Conceptual Issues Concerning Internet Addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder: Further Critique on Ryding and Kaye (2017)

The recent commentary paper by Ryding and Kaye Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (doi 10.1007/s11469-017-9811-6, 2017) rightly claimed that “internet addiction” (IA) is a conceptual minefield and raised some important issues for researchers and treatment providers working in the online addiction field. In the present commentary paper, some of the assertions made by Ryding and Kaye are briefly critiqued and extended. More specifically, the present paper (i) examines IA and Internet-based addictions and argues that IA is now a misnomer, (ii) examines IA and its relationship to Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and argues IA and IGD are two completely different constructs, and that IGD is a sub-type of gaming disorder rather than a sub-type of IA, (iii) argues that the time spent engaging in online activities is not a good criterion for assessing online addictions and that the context of use is far more important criterion, and (iv) argues that those researchers working in the IA field can learn a lot from the problem gambling field in collecting robust data. More specifically, one of the innovative ways forward could be to build strategic partnerships with commercial online companies to analyze their behavioral tracking data.     

Trait Emotional Intelligence and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Gamers: The Mediating Role of Online Gaming Motives and Moderating Role of Age Groups

Personality differences are important determinants of problematic online behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of loneliness, depression, and online gaming motives and moderating role of age on the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (EI) and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) via the construction of a multiple mediation model. A total of 478 online gamers completed a self-report online survey, including validated psychometric scales assessing the aforementioned constructs. Results indicated that trait EI was directly and indirectly associated with IGD and that the motive of escape was a partial mediator between trait EI and IGD among the total sample and adult gamers, but not among adolescents. Moreover, trait EI was associated with coping, skill development, fantasy, and recreation gaming motives only among total sample and adult gamers, and the escape motive was positively associated with IGD among total sample and adult gamers. However, among these relationships, only the association between trait EI and fantasy was significantly moderated by age group. Furthermore, the direct effect of trait EI was stronger among adolescent gamers when compared to adult gamers. Results showed that trait EI is inversely associated with IGD and affects gaming for different motives among adolescent and adult gamers.

     

Testing the Influence of Social Axioms on Internet Gaming Disorder Tendency with a Cross-Lagged Panel Model: a One-Year Longitudinal Study

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Gaming-specific beliefs on the functions and/or consequences of gaming have consistently been shown to be risk factors for Internet gaming...     

Test-Retest Measurement Invariance of the Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale in Two Countries: A Preliminary Longitudinal Study

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - The reliable longitudinal assessment of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) behaviors is viewed by many as a pivotal clinical and research...     

Internet Gaming Disorder Treatment: A Case Study Evaluation of Four Different Types of Adolescent Problematic Gamers

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Research examining Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has grown markedly in recent years. However, research on its psychological treatment is...     

Characteristics and Psychiatric Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder among Adults Using Self-Reported DSM-5 Criteria

ObjectiveThe Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) proposed nine diagnostic criteria and five cut-point criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). We aimed to examine the efficacy of such criteria.MethodsAdults (n=3041, men: 1824, women: 1217) who engaged in internet gaming within last 6 months completed a self-report online survey using the suggested wordings of the criteria in DSM-5. Major characteristics, gaming behavior, and psychiatric symptoms of IGD were analyzed using ANOVA, chi-square, and correlation analyses.ResultsThe sociodemographic variables were not statistically significant between the healthy controls and the risk group. Among the participants, 419 (13.8%) were identified and labeled as the IGD risk group. The IGD risk group scored significantly higher on all motivation subscales (p<0.001). The IGD risk group showed significantly higher scores than healthy controls in all nine psychiatric symptom dimensions, i.e., somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism (p<0.001).ConclusionThe IGD risk group showed differential psychopathological manifestations according to DSM-5 IGD diagnostic criteria. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the specific criteria, especially for developing screening instruments.     

Depression,Internet Gaming Disorder,and the Moderating Effect of the Gamer-Avatar Relationship: an Exploratory Longitudinal Study

Research into Internet gaming disorder (IGD) literature largely uses cross-sectional designs and seldom examines gaming context-related factors. Therefore, the present study combined a cross-sectional and longitudinal design to examine depression and the gamer-avatar relationship (GAR) as risk factors in the development of IGD among emerging adults. IGD behaviors of 125 gamers (64 online gamers, M_age = 23.3 years, SD = 3.4; 61 offline gamers, M_age = 23.0 years, SD = 3.4) were assessed using the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short Form (IGDS-SF9; Pontes and Griffiths Revista Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento, 7, 102–118, 2015a; Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 137–143, 2015b). The Self-Presence Scale (Ratan and Dawson Communication Research, 2015) and the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al. 1996) were also used to assess gamers’ levels of GAR and depressive symptoms, respectively. Regression and moderation analyses revealed that depression and the GAR act as individual risk factors in the development of IGD over time. Furthermore, the GAR exacerbates the IGD risk effect of depression.     

Effect of Parental Perception on the Prevalence of Adolescent Internet Gaming Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, several studies have found that Internet usage and gaming times have increased among adolescents. Parents’ Internet literacy and attitudes toward Internet gaming have been reported to affect children’s Internet gaming disorder (IGD). We hypothesized that parents’ attitudes toward Internet use and gaming would affect the prevalence of IGD among adolescents. Methods A total of 199 mothers of children who played Internet games were surveyed online to gather information regarding their demographic characteristics, children’s Internet use patterns, psychological factors, and Internet gaming literacy. Results Among adolescents, increased Internet usage or gaming time was not associated with IGD, but the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was. Among parents, anxiety, depression, and family togetherness were not related to IGD, but a positive perception of gaming protected against the development of IGD, whereas a negative perception was a risk factor for IGD. Conclusion Increased gaming time neither causes nor correlates with IGD in adolescents, even though ADHD may be a risk factor for IGD. Parents’ positive or negative perceptions of gaming can be protective or present a risk factor, respectively, for their children’s development of IGD.     

Internet Gaming Addiction: A Systematic Review of Empirical Research

The activity of play has been ever present in human history and the Internet has emerged as a playground increasingly populated by gamers. Research suggests that a minority of Internet game players experience symptoms traditionally associated with substance-related addictions, including mood modification, tolerance and salience. Because the current scientific knowledge of Internet gaming addiction is copious in scope and appears relatively complex, this literature review attempts to reduce this confusion by providing an innovative framework by which all the studies to date can be categorized. A total of 58 empirical studies were included in this literature review. Using the current empirical knowledge, it is argued that Internet gaming addiction follows a continuum, with antecedents in etiology and risk factors, through to the development of a “full-blown” addiction, followed by ramifications in terms of negative consequences and potential treatment. The results are evaluated in light of the emergent discrepancies in findings, and the consequent implications for future research.     

Internet Gaming Addiction in Adolescence: Risk Factors and Maladjustment Correlates

Several studies have documented the existence of a behavioral addiction related to Video Games, which appears to be similar to other forms of addiction (gambling and substance-related) in terms of characteristics and consequences. Literature about this topic has suffered from the lack of a standard definition of this disorder before the publication of DSM-5. Thus, the prevalence of the disorder and its characteristics at the moment are unclear. The present research aimed to investigate the differences between sub-clinical problematic Video Game (VG) use and Internet use and clear Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and Internet addiction in terms of gender, amount of time spent gaming, preferential coping strategies, adjustment problems, interpersonal relations, and to identify risk factors that predict a problematic engagement in video gaming. We administered a survey containing measures about coping strategies, interpersonal relations, internalizing/externalizing problems, and Internet and Video Game addiction to 612 Italian students recruited in the four main regions of the country (age range 9–19; M = 13.94). Results show that 15.2% of participants showed a sub-clinical problematic use of Video Games, while those with a clear IGD were 2.1% (n = 13); 16.3% of them showed a sub-clinical problematic Internet use, while full-criteria Internet addiction was found in 5.9% of the sample. IGD appears to be linked to various dysfunctional outcomes including a wide range of psychological symptoms and behavioral and social problems. Also, problematic video gamers tend to preferentially adopt dysfunctional coping strategies as distraction and avoidance, so VGs seem to represent a mean to cope with problems and difficulties.     

A Literature Review on the Efficacy and Related Neural Effects of Pharmacological and Psychosocial Treatments in Individuals With Internet Gaming Disorder

ObjectiveInternet gaming disorder (IGD) has attracted considerable attention as a serious mental and public health issue worldwide. Currently, there are no established treatment guidelines for IGD. Herein, we review the latest findings on the efficacy and related neural effects of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for individuals with IGD. MethodsA database search of relevant studies published between 2007 and 2020 was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar. Twenty-seven studies were reviewed for current evidence related to the efficacy and neural effects of pharmacological and psychosocial IGD treatments. ResultsPharmacological studies suggest that bupropion may play a significant role in IGD. Additionally, nuclear imaging studies on IGD have demonstrated functional impairment of the dopamine system, providing a neurobiological basis for the efficacy of dopamine-enhancing drugs. Among the various psychosocial interventions, current evidence suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy may be an effective intervention for IGD. Cognitive behavioral therapy and bupropion were found to influence resting-state functional connectivity within the cortico-subcortical circuit and default mode network, suggesting a possible neural mechanism. Innovative approaches, including virtual reality treatment, residential camps, voluntary abstinence, and transcranial direct current stimulation, have shown promising results. However, methodological limitations, such as the absence of proper controls, small sample sizes, short duration, inconsistency of inclusion criteria across studies, and self-report measures of outcome, hamper conclusions regarding the efficacy of treatments. ConclusionOngoing basic research and clinical trials overcoming these limitations could add to the existing knowledge on IGD and contribute to the development of evidence-based treatments.     

Response to Commentary: the Future of Gaming Disorder Research and Player Protection: What Role Should the Video Gaming Industry and Researchers Play

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - In their commentary, Griffiths and Pontes (2019) argue that with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) (2019) recognizing...     

An Evaluation of Gaming-Related Harms in Relation to Gaming Disorder and Loot Box Involvement

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - The specific nature of harm and functional impairment in the context of gaming disorder (GD) has received limited attention. In this study, we...