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The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale

DOI:10.1037/pas0000062
Authors:
Jeroen S Lemmens at University of Amsterdam
Jeroen S Lemmens
Patti M. Valkenburg at University of Amsterdam
Patti M. Valkenburg
Douglas A Gentile at Iowa State University
Douglas A Gentile
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Abstract

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in the appendix of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The main aim of the current study was to test the reliability and validity of 4 survey instruments to measure IGD on the basis of the 9 criteria from the DSM-5: a long (27-item) and short (9-item) polytomous scale and a long (27-item) and short (9-item) dichotomous scale. The psychometric properties of these scales were tested among a representative sample of 2,444 Dutch adolescents and adults, ages 13-40 years. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the structural validity (i.e., the dimensional structure) of all scales was satisfactory. Both types of assessment (polytomous and dichotomous) were also reliable (i.e., internally consistent) and showed good criterion-related validity, as indicated by positive correlations with time spent playing games, loneliness, and aggression and negative correlations with self-esteem, prosocial behavior, and life satisfaction. The dichotomous 9-item IGD scale showed solid psychometric properties and was the most practical scale for diagnostic purposes. Latent class analysis of this dichotomous scale indicated that 3 groups could be discerned: normal gamers, risky gamers, and disordered gamers. On the basis of the number of people in this last group, the prevalence of IGD among 13- through 40-year-olds in the Netherlands is approximately 4%. If the DSM-5 threshold for diagnosis (experiencing 5 or more criteria) is applied, the prevalence of disordered gamers is more than 5%. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
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The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale
Jeroen S. Lemmens and Patti M. Valkenburg
University of Amsterdam Douglas A. Gentile
Iowa State University
Recently, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in the appendix
of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5). The main aim
of the current study was to test the reliability and validity of 4 survey instruments to measure IGD on the
basis of the 9 criteria from the DSM–5: a long (27-item) and short (9-item) polytomous scale and a long
(27-item) and short (9-item) dichotomous scale. The psychometric properties of these scales were tested
among a representative sample of 2,444 Dutch adolescents and adults, ages 13–40 years. Confirmatory
factor analyses demonstrated that the structural validity (i.e., the dimensional structure) of all scales was
satisfactory. Both types of assessment (polytomous and dichotomous) were also reliable (i.e., internally
consistent) and showed good criterion-related validity, as indicated by positive correlations with time
spent playing games, loneliness, and aggression and negative correlations with self-esteem, prosocial
behavior, and life satisfaction. The dichotomous 9-item IGD scale showed solid psychometric properties
and was the most practical scale for diagnostic purposes. Latent class analysis of this dichotomous scale
indicated that 3 groups could be discerned: normal gamers, risky gamers, and disordered gamers. On the
basis of the number of people in this last group, the prevalence of IGD among 13- through 40-year-olds
in the Netherlands is approximately 4%. If the DSM–5 threshold for diagnosis (experiencing 5 or more
criteria) is applied, the prevalence of disordered gamers is more than 5%.
Keywords: gaming disorder, game addiction, pathological gaming, Internet addiction, video games
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM) is used by psychiatrists and psychologists in many coun-
tries as the main diagnostic tool for classifying psychiatric disor-
ders. In the latest version of the DSM (5th ed. [DSM–5]), the
American Psychiatric Association (APA) applied some changes to
the descriptions and criteria for pathological behaviors and in-
cluded Internet gaming disorder as a tentative disorder in the
appendix of this manual (APA, 2013). The introduction of Internet
gaming disorder in the DSM–5 represents a major advance for the
study, treatment, and prevention of problematic and pathological
use of computer and video games. The crucial next step is to
develop a survey instrument to measure Internet gaming disorder
with solid psychometric properties that can be used for research
and diagnostic purposes. Therefore, the main aim of the current
study was to develop a valid and reliable survey instrument for
Internet gaming disorder on the basis of the nine underlying
criteria from the DSM–5. Because this instrument should be ap-
plicable to game-playing individuals of all ages, its properties were
extensively tested among a representative sample of adolescents
and adults (ages 13–40 years).
Over the last decade, many efforts have been made to define and
measure the concept of pathological involvement with computer or
video games. Although playing video games is not considered
intrinsically pathologic or problematic, gaming can become path-
ological for some players when the activity becomes dysfunc-
tional, harming an individual’s social, occupational, family,
school, and psychological functioning (Gentile et al., 2011). In
general, pathological gaming can be described as persistent, re-
current, and excessive involvement with computer or video games
that cannot be controlled, despite associated problems (Griffiths,
2005;Lemmens, Valkenburg, & Peter, 2009). Although game
addiction is the most popular term to describe this disorder, this
term is also considered ambiguous, because many players, devel-
opers, and reviewers use the term addictive as a positive adjective,
indicating the enduring playability of a game and not destructive or
pathological behavior (Adams, 2002). Most studies on game ad-
diction or similar constructs have adapted the definition and cri-
teria for pathological gambling from the DSM–IV (APA, 2000),
and many have therefore applied the term pathological gaming to
this type of behavior (e.g., Chiou & Wan, 2007;Gentile, 2009;
Johansson & Götestam, 2004;Keepers, 1990;Lemmens, Valken-
burg, & Peter, 2011a,2011b). After careful consideration by a
multidisciplinary expert workgroup, the APA decided on the ten-
tative term Internet gaming disorder in the DSM–5 (Petry &
O’Brien, 2013). Therefore, this term (or its abbreviation, IGD) and
its underlying nine criteria will be used when addressing the
measures under investigation in the current study.
The DSM–5 states that only the use of Internet games must
cause clinically significant impairment to constitute a diagnosis for
IGD, not the use of sexual Internet sites, online gambling, or any
other kind of Internet use (APA, 2013). Although the disorder is
This article was published Online First January 5, 2015.
Jeroen S. Lemmens and Patti M. Valkenburg, Amsterdam School of
Communication Research, University of Amsterdam; Douglas A. Gentile,
Department of Psychology, Iowa State University.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jeroen S.
Lemmens, Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of
Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1001 NG, Amsterdam, the Neth-
erlands. E-mail: j.s.lemmens@uva.nl
This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.
This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.
Psychological Assessment © 2015 American Psychological Association
2015, Vol. 27, No. 2, 567–582 1040-3590/15/$12.00 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pas0000062
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... These include The Television Addiction Scale (20 items, 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree; Horvath, 2004), Internet Gaming Disorder scale (nine items, 1 = never to 6 = every day or almost every day; Lemmens et al., 2015), Social Media Use Disorder scale (nine items, dichotomous yes/no-scale is summed to a count; Van den Eijnden et al., 2016), Internet Addiction Scale (eight items, dichotomous yes/no-scale is summed to a count; Young, 1998), The South Oaks Gambling Screen (30 items, scored according to the original article with range 0-16; Lesieur & Blume, 1987), Shopping Addiction Scale (seven items, 1 = completely disagree to 5 = completely agree; Andreassen et al., 2015), Problematic Cryptocurrency Trading Scale (15 items, 1 = never to 5 = always; Menteş et al., 2021), Risky Loot Box Index (five items, 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree; Brooks & Clark, 2019), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (10 items, scored according to the original article with range 0-29; Reinert & Allen, 2002), Caffeine Addiction Scale (11 items, dichotomous yes/no-scale is summed to a count; Samaha et al., 2020), Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (six items, scored according to the original article with range 0-10; Heatherton et al., 1991), Severity of Dependence Scale for Cannabis (five items, four on a 1 = never to 4 = always/nearly always scale, one on a 1 = not difficult to 4 = impossible scale; van der Pol et al., 2013), and World Health Organization-Assist v3.0 amphetamines subscale (four items, 1 = never to 5 = daily or almost daily; Humeniuk et al., 2006). We were unable to find a satisfactory measure of addiction to play-to-earn gaming, so we repeated the Internet Gaming Disorder scale (nine items, 1 = never to 6 = every day or almost every day; Lemmens et al., 2015) with the specification that it be answered regarding play-to-earn games only. ...
... These include The Television Addiction Scale (20 items, 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree; Horvath, 2004), Internet Gaming Disorder scale (nine items, 1 = never to 6 = every day or almost every day; Lemmens et al., 2015), Social Media Use Disorder scale (nine items, dichotomous yes/no-scale is summed to a count; Van den Eijnden et al., 2016), Internet Addiction Scale (eight items, dichotomous yes/no-scale is summed to a count; Young, 1998), The South Oaks Gambling Screen (30 items, scored according to the original article with range 0-16; Lesieur & Blume, 1987), Shopping Addiction Scale (seven items, 1 = completely disagree to 5 = completely agree; Andreassen et al., 2015), Problematic Cryptocurrency Trading Scale (15 items, 1 = never to 5 = always; Menteş et al., 2021), Risky Loot Box Index (five items, 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree; Brooks & Clark, 2019), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (10 items, scored according to the original article with range 0-29; Reinert & Allen, 2002), Caffeine Addiction Scale (11 items, dichotomous yes/no-scale is summed to a count; Samaha et al., 2020), Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (six items, scored according to the original article with range 0-10; Heatherton et al., 1991), Severity of Dependence Scale for Cannabis (five items, four on a 1 = never to 4 = always/nearly always scale, one on a 1 = not difficult to 4 = impossible scale; van der Pol et al., 2013), and World Health Organization-Assist v3.0 amphetamines subscale (four items, 1 = never to 5 = daily or almost daily; Humeniuk et al., 2006). We were unable to find a satisfactory measure of addiction to play-to-earn gaming, so we repeated the Internet Gaming Disorder scale (nine items, 1 = never to 6 = every day or almost every day; Lemmens et al., 2015) with the specification that it be answered regarding play-to-earn games only. See Table 1 for central tendency information. ...
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... Healthcare 2023, 11, 3017 2 of 16 We previously reported that although some women stop playing games when they become pregnant, there are some women who continue to play games after pregnancy. Moreover, women who continue to play games after pregnancy are likely to have anxiety that they might have a game addiction, and it is likely that their partners also play games [7]. ...
... In the third section, we asked about the following: average daily sleeping hours; consistency in wake-up time and bedtime; occurrence of days when insufficient sleep was due to game usage; occurrence of days when meals were not cooked due to game usage; occurrence of days without regular meals (3 meals/day) due to game usage; frequency of consuming ready-to-eat meals (e.g., instant food, precooked food, and fast food); perception of game usage negatively affecting a child's or children's development; perception of game usage being addictive; experience of ever feeling addicted to games; and feelings of not having enough time to play games due to pregnancy or child-rearing. In the fourth section, we used the IGDS, which consists of nine dichotomous items related to IGD, where each response is either 'yes' (1 point) or 'no' (0 points), with a cutoff value set at 5 points [16]. Sumi et al. translated the IGDS into Japanese [17]. ...
Differences in Changes in Game Usage Time and Game Use-Related Factors Depending on Parity in a Prospective Study of Pregnant Women in Japan
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Game usage has recently been increasing, but the actual situation of game usage and issues among pregnant women are not clarified. The purpose of this prospective longitudinal study was to examine changes in game usage, lifestyle, and thoughts about game usage during pregnancy depending on parity and to clarify the characteristics of pregnant women who continue to use games. We conducted three web surveys in early, mid- and late pregnancy in 238 pregnant women. For primiparous women who continued to use games, there was a significant increase in game usage time from early to late pregnancy (p = 0.022), and 25.0% of those women had anxiety that they might have a game addiction. For primiparous women in mid-pregnancy and multiparous women in early and late pregnancy, the proportions of women who thought that they could not use gaming sufficiently due to pregnancy and child-rearing were significantly higher in women who continued to use games. In both primiparous women and multiparous women, the proportion of partners who used games was significantly higher in women who continued to use games. It is necessary for midwives to discuss with pregnant women and their partners about game usage and to provide advice about control of game usage in daily life.
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... Grâce à la compréhension grandissante du trouble du jeu vidéo sur Internet, certains auteurs ont proposé des méthodes de dépistage, d'évaluation ainsi que des programmes de traitement (Beard, 2005;King et al., 2011;Lemmens et al., 2009;Lemmens et al, 2015). En réponse à l'absence de critères d'identification, Beard (2005) fut l'un des premiers auteurs à proposer une méthode de dépistage sous la forme d'une entrevue structurée. ...
... Cet instrument, l'Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDT) se base sur les critères proposés par le DSM-5 (préoccupation par le jeu, tolérance, saillance, persistance, etc.). Il existe une version longue (27 items) et une version courte (10 items) du questionnaire, et celles-ci possèdent d'excellentes propriétés psychométriques Lemmens et al., 2015). La version à 10 items de l'IGDT a notamment été validée avec succès auprès d'une population d'adolescents québécois (Hébert-Ratté et al., 2023), mais aucune étude de validation n'a été menée dans un échantillon de jeunes adultes au Québec au moment de la publication de la présente étude. ...
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L’objectif de cet article est de passer en revue les connaissances actuelles en lien avec le trouble du jeu vidéo sur Internet chez les jeunes adultes de 18 à 30 ans. L’évolution du phénomène, les différentes définitions du concept, le rôle des jeux vidéo massivement multijoueurs en ligne (MMORPG) et des mécanismes de récompense aléatoire, les pratiques de jeux vidéo à risque, les conséquences connues ainsi que les différentes avenues de traitement du trouble sont approfondies. Une fois le portrait dressé à l’aide de la littérature existante, différents constats sont relevés par rapport à la compréhension du trouble afin d’orienter les avenues de recherche futures.
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... Internet gaming disorder is described as the persistent use of internet-based video games, often involving interaction with other players, leading to notable distress for the individual involved (APA, 2013). Lemmens et al., (2015), described pathological gaming as persistent, recurrent and excessive involvement with computer or video games that cannot be controlled despite associated problems. The prevalence rates of IGD from conducted studies on representative samples reveal 1.4% in Norway (Wittek et al., 2016) and 2.5% in Slovenia (Pontes et al., 2016). ...
Self-Esteem, Family Functioning and Internet Gaming Disorder among In-School Adolescents
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Internet gaming comes with possibilities of adverse effects on individuals if not controlled. This study aims to observe the predictive influence of self-esteem and family functioning on internet gaming disorder among Nigerian in-school adolescents. Using a multi-staged sampling to select 468 participants who responded to the Hare Self-Esteem Scale, Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-Sf) and Index of Family Relations Scale. A high prevalence (20.5%) of at-risk of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) was reported. Self-esteem did not significantly predict internet gaming disorder; family functioning had a negative significant prediction of internet gaming disorder. Also, gender significantly influenced IGD [t (468) = 4.50, p <.01] with males reporting higher mean scores than female students, Again family structure had no significant influence on the other hand time spent gaming had a significant influence on internet gaming disorder. Authors conclude that there is a high prevalence of IGD among in-school adolescents and that family functioning and gender are significant predictors of IGD while self-esteem is not. Avenue to assess for IGD should be provided in Secondary school and psychological interventions are recommended for students who report being at risk of IGD.
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... Internet gaming disorder is described as the persistent use of internet-based video games, often involving interaction with other players, leading to notable distress for the individual involved (APA, 2013). Lemmens et al., (2015), described pathological gaming as persistent, recurrent and excessive involvement with computer or video games that cannot be controlled despite associated problems. The prevalence rates of IGD from conducted studies on representative samples reveal 1.4% in Norway (Wittek et al., 2016) and 2.5% in Slovenia (Pontes et al., 2016). ...
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Internet gaming comes with possibilities of adverse effects on individuals if not controlled. This study aims to observe the predictive influence of self-esteem and family functioning on internet gaming disorder among Nigerian in-school adolescents. Using a multi-staged sampling to select 468 participants who responded to the Hare Self-Esteem Scale, Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-Sf) and Index of Family Relations Scale. A high prevalence (20.5%) of at-risk of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) was reported. Self-esteem did not significantly predict internet gaming disorder; family functioning had a negative significant prediction of internet gaming disorder. Also, gender significantly influenced IGD [t (468) = 4.50, p <.01] with males reporting higher mean scores than female students, Again family structure had no significant influence on the other hand time spent gaming had a significant influence on internet gaming disorder. Authors conclude that there is a high prevalence of IGD among in-school adolescents and that family functioning and gender are significant predictors of IGD while self-esteem is not. Avenue to assess for IGD should be provided in Secondary school and psychological interventions are recommended for students who report being at risk of IGD.
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... A validated Arabic version of the IGD short form scale (IGD SF); [12] which is based on the nine criteria from the DSM-5, was used. Analysis of the short dichotomous scale indicated that three groups could be differentiated as follows: normal gamers (scores between 0 and 2), risky gamers (scores ranged between 1 and 6), and disordered gamers (scores ranged between 6 and 9) [13]. ...
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Background Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a serious rising problem affecting people of all ages. Many researchers reported that students’ addictive gaming behavior resulted in the loss of function and the development of psychological problems. In this study, we aimed mainly to measure the prevalence of internet gaming disorder among Mansoura University students and find its relationship with psychological well-being. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was carried out during the academic year (2021–2022) at the University of Mansoura. Students from four different faculties were included. Participants ages ranged from 18 to 25 years old. An online Google Form questionnaire gathering the tools (questionnaire of demographic and clinical data, Internet Gaming Disorder Short Form scale, Ryff’s scale of psychological well-being) was distributed among them. Results In this study, 870 students were included. The age range was 18–25 years. They were divided into three groups: 315 normal gamers (36%), 500 risky gamers (58%), and 55 disordered gamers (6%), with no significant gender difference in each group (p-value = 0.138). A negative correlation was found between IGD and psychological well-being (r = -0.303). Conclusions The prevalence of IGD was 6% among Mansoura University students. Participants in the theoretical faculties who started playing internet gaming at a younger age and spent more than 2 h per week playing and more than 3 h per week thinking about playing internet games were more likely to develop IGD. Whenever IGD scores increased, psychological well-being scores were found to decrease (r = -0.303).
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Gaming disorder (GD) screening often involves self-report survey measures to detect the presence of symptoms. Studies have shown that gamers' responses vary greatly across survey items. Some symptoms, such as preoccupation and tolerance, are frequently reported by highly engaged but non-problematic gamers, and therefore these symptoms are thought to lack specificity and are suggested to be less important in classification decisions. We argue that the influence of response categories (e.g., dichotomous responses, such as ‘yes’ or ‘no’; or frequency categories, such as ‘rarely’ and ‘often’) on item responses has been relatively underexplored despite potentially contributing significantly to the psychometric performance of items and scales. In short, the type of item response may be just as important to symptom reporting as the content of survey questions. We propose some practical alternatives to currently used item categories across GD tools. Research should examine the performance of different response categories, including whether certain response categories aid respondents' comprehension and insight, and better capture pathological behaviours and harms.
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For the first time, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduces non-substance addictions as psychiatric diagnoses. The aims of this paper are to (i) present the main controversies surrounding the decision to include internet gaming disorder, but not internet addiction more globally, as a non-substance addiction in the research appendix of the DSM-5, and (ii) discuss the meaning behind the DSM-5 criteria for internet gaming disorder. The paper also proposes a common method for assessing internet gaming disorder. Although the need for common diagnostic criteria is not debated, the existence of multiple instruments reflect the divergence of opinions in the field regarding how best to diagnose this condition. We convened international experts from European, North and South American, Asian and Australasian countries to discuss and achieve consensus about assessing internet gaming disorder as defined within DSM-5. We describe the intended meaning behind each of the nine DSM-5 criteria for internet gaming disorder and present a single item that best reflects each criterion, translated into the 10 main languages of countries in which research on this condition has been conducted. Using results from this cross-cultural collaboration, we outline important research directions for understanding and assessing internet gaming disorder. As this field moves forward, it is critical that researchers and clinicians around the world begin to apply a common methodology; this report is the first to achieve an international consensus related to the assessment of internet gaming disorder.
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