Risk factors and outcomes of internet gaming disorder identified in Korean prospective adolescent cohort study

Abstract

Background and aims Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is known to cause various psychological and physical complications. Through data collected from an adolescent prospective longitudinal cohort, we examined how IGD is related to lifestyle and physical symptoms, as well as the temporal relationship between them. Methods This study was conducted as part of iCURE (Internet user Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of gaming disorder in Early Adolescence) in Korea between 2015 and 2019. Sleep and physical activity time, dry eye symptoms, musculoskeletal pain, and near-miss accidents were measured at baseline and followed-up after one year. IGD risk was evaluated using the Internet Game Use – Elicited Symptom Screen (IGUESS). The association between IGD risk and measured variables was analyzed, both at baseline and at follow-up after one year. Results At baseline, the IGD risk group had significantly less physical activity time and sleep time and had more dry eye symptoms, musculoskeletal pain, and near-miss accidents than the IGD non-risk group. Additionally, in the IGD risk group at baseline, dry eye symptoms, musculoskeletal pain, and near-miss accidents occurred significantly more after one year of follow-up. Discussion and conclusion The results of this study show that IGD is a significant risk factor that increases the probability of physical disease and trauma in adolescents. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing IGD risk and protecting the physical and mental health of adolescents are imperative.

No End in Sight; Assessing the Impact of Internet Gaming Disorder on Digital Eye Strain Symptoms and Academic Success

“…Of particular interest was the finding that neck and shoulder complaints were common due to the fact that these parts of the body remained fixed in the same posture while playing. There are two studies that have examined DES in online gaming addicts; a South Korean study followed a population of adolescents who exhibited risk for IGD for a full year and found an increase in the occurrence of dry eye symptoms [ 17 ]. The validation study for the DES questionnaire, which included a group of 150 ophthalmic patients and fifty addicted gamers, found that higher DESQ scores were associated with a higher total pathological internet use score, more time spent on a screen-enabled device, male gender, and belonging to the gaming-addicted group [ 9 ].…”