Factors associated with severity, incidence or persistence of internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: a 2‐year longitudinal study

Abstract

AimThis study examined factors associated with severity, incidence and/or persistence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) in children and adolescents. Design, Setting, Participants Prospective cohort study with 2-year follow-up study in South Korea. A total of 2319 3rd-, 4th-and 7th-graders enrolled into the internet user cohort for unbiased recognition of gaming disorder in early adolescence [internet user Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of gaming disorder in Early adolescence (iCURE)] and analyzed for the current study. Measurements Severity of the IGD features was assessed by the Internet Game Use-Elicited Symptom Screen (IGUESS), a self-reported questionnaire based on the DSM-5 IGD criteria. Participants with IGUESS scores ≥ 10 were considered to be at high risk for IGD (HIGD). Time spent playing on-line games, game types, depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, social support, openness of communication with parents, attachment to parents and potential confounders were assessed by self-report.Findings A total of 175 (7.5%) students were classified as HIGD cases upon initial assessment. The independent risk factors of incidence of HIGD included playing on-line games for ≥ 240 minutes/day, playing multi-player games, depressive symptoms and ADHD symptoms [adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) = 2.03, 1.63, 2.04, 2.53, respectively; all P < 0.05]. Factors related to changing IGD severity scores were playing on-line games for 60-239 minutes/day, playing single-player on-line games, higher attachment and social support [adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRRs) = 1.38, 1.22, 0.86, 0.87, respectively; all P < 0.05]. Independent predictors of persistence of HIGD were playing on-line games for ≥ 240 minutes/day and ADHD symptoms (aRRs = 2.63, 2.14, respectively; all P < 0.05). Conclusions Among adolescents in South Korea, the existence of ADHD symptoms and spending more than 4 hours per day playing on-line games were associated with the occurrence or persistence of high risk for internet gaming disorder.

Prevalence and risk factors of internet gaming disorder and problematic internet use before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A large online survey of Japanese adults

“…Probable PIU prevalence was also higher than reported in studies before the pandemic (3.2 -3.7% (Kuss et al, 2013a(Kuss et al, , 2013b). Prevalence of probable IGD among younger people (<30 years old) was 8.6% in the survey population, higher than reported in studies among children and adolescents (1.2 -7.5% (Jeong et al, 2020;Rehbein et al, 2015;Taechoyotin et al, 2020;Wartberg et al, 2020)) before the pandemic. It increased more than 1.8 times (from 7.7% to 13.8%) during the pandemic.…”

Associations Between Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms Mediated by Depressive Symptoms and Hopelessness Among College Students

“…In this study, ADHD symptoms were significantly associated with IGD symptoms, which is consistent with the findings of previous studies conducted across different populations. 11 , 43 , 44 The comorbidity of ADHD and IGD points to a common biological mechanism. Previous magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging studies have found that ADHD and IGD patients were both characterized by decreased N-acetyl-aspartate levels within the frontal lobe, altered functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex, and gray matter volume.…”

Gaming among Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: The Role of Parents in Time Spent on Video Games and Gaming Disorder Symptoms

“…Concerns have been raised about encouraging video gaming [27] as the time-consuming nature of playing VGs has been found to induce people, especially adolescents, to play games for an excessive amount of time [29]. Spending persistent and excessive time on playing VGs is a fundamental risk factor for the development of pathological behavioral symptoms [30][31][32][33], which have recently been discussed as a formal psychological disorder by both the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the WHO. In 2013, the APA included Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in the fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) [34].…”

“…We also expected that parental knowledge of their offspring’s life and the parents’ time dedicated to gaming would be negatively correlated [ 29 , 59 ]. Moreover, based on past studies [ 60 ], we posited that parental monitoring of their offspring’s video gaming habits would be negatively related to time spent by the offspring on VGs, which, in turn, would have a positive direct effect on GD symptoms [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. We also hypothesized indirect effects from the parental variables to time spent by the juveniles on VGs.…”