The psychometric properties of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) regarding Internet gaming disorder in a general population of Chinese adults

Abstract

Background and aimsInternet gaming disorder (IGD) has been recognized as a mental illness. Cognitive and emotional illness representations affect coping and health outcomes. Very little is known about such perceptions related to IGD, in both general and diseased populations. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) for IGD in a general population that included mostly non-cases while a small proportion of the sample was IGD cases.MethodsAn anonymous cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted in a random sample of 1,501 Chinese community-dwelling adults (41.3% male; mean age = 40.42, SD = 16.85) in Macao, China.ResultsThe confirmatory factor analysis identified a modified 6-factor model (i.e., timeline cyclical, consequences, personal control, treatment control, illness coherence, and emotional representations) of 26 items that showed satisfactory model fit and internal consistency. Criterion-related validity was supported by the constructs' significant correlations with stigma (positive correlations: timeline cyclical, consequence, emotional representations; negative correlations: illness coherence). Ever-gamers, compared to never-gamers, reported higher mean scores in the subscales of personal control and illness coherence, and lower mean scores in time cyclical, consequence, and emotional representations. Among the sampled gamers, probable IGD cases were more likely than non-IGD cases to perceive IGD as cyclical and involved more negative emotions.ConclusionsThis study shows that the revised 26-item version of IPQ-R is a valid instrument for assessing illness representation regarding IGD in a general population of Chinese adults. It can be used in future research that examines factors of incidence and prevention related to IGD.

Relationship Between Illness Representations and Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Young People: Cross-Lagged Model

“…Since such people may have suffered from the IGD symptoms for at least 1 year, they have a better understanding of the fact that IGD can affect their daily life significantly and be chronic and cyclical. This is also consistent with the finding in the cross-sectional study in Macao [ 33 ]. In addition, people with IGD may have already experienced failure in attempting to regulate their internet gaming behaviors and thus perceive a great sense of helplessness and hopelessness as well as a low sense of self-control, self-efficacy, and personal control for their internet gaming behaviors and IGD symptoms.…”

“…Since the dimensions represent different perceptions of a disease and some perceptions may be particularly relevant to the disease, it is reasonable that not all the dimensions of illness representations of IGD were significantly correlated with IGD symptoms. Consistently, the recent cross-sectional study also reported that only timeline cyclical, personal control, illness coherence, and emotional representations were significantly correlated with IGD symptoms [33]. Similar results were also found in previous studies of other diseases (eg, [32,40]).…”

“…Fifth, it is worth noting that this study only investigated illness representations among gamers. Such perceptions may be different from those of nongamers [ 33 ]. In addition, it is a limitation that we did not know whether we included diagnosed cases.…”

“…The items have demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability and predictive validity [ 35 ]. The Chinese version of the IPQ regarding IGD (IPQ-IGD) has been validated in Chinese adults [ 33 ]. Confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable model fit of B-IPQ at T1 (χ 2 :df=2.50, comparative fit index [CFI]=.92, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA]=.07, and standardized root mean square residual [SRMR]=.06) and at T2 (χ 2 :df=2.91, CFI=.94, RMSEA=.06, SRMR=.05).…”

“…It may be because people with greater symptoms of IGD may have experienced negative consequences of IGD or had trouble with regulating their internet gaming behaviors, thus enhancing their unfavorable representations of IGD, while those with no or minimal symptoms of IGD have not experienced negative consequences of IGD or may not necessarily think about IGD negatively [ 33 ]. A recent cross-sectional study in an adult sample (mean age 40.42 years) in Macao, China reported that those with IGD showed more negative emotional representations, scored higher in the level of the time cyclical factor, and had better comprehensiveness of IGD than non-IGD cases [ 33 ]. However, this was the only existing study, and the cross-sectional study design could not demonstrate a causal relationship between IGD and illness representations of IGD.…”