Validation of the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10) based on the clinical diagnosis of IGD in Japan

Depression, Gaming Disorder, and Internet Addiction in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have various psychiatric comorbidities, particularly depression. In recent years, gaming disorder (GD) and Internet addiction (IA) have been identified as common comorbidities of ASD. We administered three self-administered screening instruments to adolescents with ASD to assess the severity of depression, GD, and IA. The participants were 10-18-year-olds with ASD. They were asked to complete three questionnaires to assess depressive symptoms, GD, and IA: the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), and Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The total IGDT-10 score was calculated in two different ways: the original scoring version (IGDT-10-OV) and the modified version (IGDT-10-MV). Of the 74 respondents, 24.3% had moderate or severe depressive symptoms, 8.1% were identified as having possible GD according to the IGDT-10-OV, 39.2% were identified as having possible GD according to the IGDT-10-MV, and 27.0% were positive for IA according to the IAT. Two-group comparisons revealed that depressive symptoms were more strongly associated with IA than with GD. IA was associated with more depressive symptoms than GD. Since adolescents with ASD have difficulties with social communication, they are prone to isolation and feelings of loneliness. Longer screen times due to social isolation may be a risk factor for the development of GD/IA. Adolescents with ASD often exhibit a preference for visual processing but may struggle with verbal communication. Thus, they may find online spaces more comfortable for them to alleviate their feelings of loneliness.

The rate of patients screened positive for gaming disorder/Internet gaming disorder among adolescents with mental health issues assessed by two screening tests: A nine-item screening test for GD (GAMES Test) and the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10)

Aim

The aim of this study is to estimate the rate of patients who screened positive for gaming disorder (GD) in ICD-11 among adolescents with psychiatric and/or developmental disorders by using two screening tests: a nine-item screening test for GD, GAMing Engagement Screening test (GAMES Test), and the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10).

Methods

Subjects were 257 adolescent patients attending a psychiatric clinic in Sapporo, Japan. They were asked to complete two questionnaires. The total score on the IGDT-10 was calculated by two different scoring methods, original version (OV) and modified version (MV). The three groups were also compared on the basis of their clinical diagnoses.

Results

Of the 203 respondents, 42 (20.7%) screened positive using the GAMES Test. With respect to the IGDT-10, only eight (3.9%) screened positive using the IGDT-10 OV scoring, while 55 (27.1%) screened positive using the IGDT-10 MV. The most notable finding was that the mean total scores on the GAMES Test and the IGDT-10 MV were significantly higher in the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder group than in the other two groups (depression and autism spectrum disorder).

Conclusion

The results of this study showed that adolescents with mental health problems had a higher rate of screening positivity on self-rated screening tools for GD than the general population. Because excessive gaming has a wide range of adverse effects on adolescents' mental health, early detection of probable GD is crucial. Screening for GD should be part of routine clinical practice.

Online gaming reduces psychological distress in a patient with schizophrenia: A case report

Background

Schizophrenia often involves persecutory delusions, which cause psychological distress. Some patients use online gaming as a coping tool. However, excessive online gaming has raised concerns about internet gaming disorders (IGD), while any soothing effects of online gaming on psychological distress remain unclear. Herein, we report changes in anxiety and IGD severity, measured using rating scales, in a patient with schizophrenia who used online gaming as a coping strategy for psychological distress.

Case Presentation

A 43-year-old woman diagnosed with schizophrenia had worsening persecutory delusions, including that of being targeted by snipers, and had difficulty going out because of anxiety. She coped with her psychological distress using online shooting games. We assessed her state and trait anxiety, social anxiety, avoidance behavior when alone, and IGD severity. There was a notable reduction in the state anxiety score after the introduction of online gaming. The scores for trait anxiety, social anxiety, and avoidance behavior when alone decreased noticeably after the acquisition of coping strategies. This case demonstrates the presence of IGD only during the acquisition of coping strategies.

Conclusion

This case highlights the potential of online gaming as a coping strategy for schizophrenia-related anxiety. However, excessive gaming can lead to IGD and thus necessitates caution. Further research should explore the applicability and potential risks of using online gaming to cope with psychological distress among patients with schizophrenia.

Comparing psychopathological symptoms, life satisfaction, and personality traits between the WHO and APA frameworks of gaming disorder symptoms: A psychometric investigation

INTRODUCTION

The inclusion of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in the fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association and Gaming Disorder in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization requires consistent psychological measures for reliable estimates. The current study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT), the Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), and the Five-Item Gaming Disorder Test (GDT-5) and to compare the WHO and the APA frameworks of gaming disorder symptoms in terms of psychopathological symptoms, life satisfaction, and personality traits.

METHODS

A sample of 723 Swedish gamers was recruited (29.8% women, 68.3% men, 1.9% other, Mage = 29.50 years, SD = 8.91).

RESULTS

The results indicated notable differences regarding the estimated possible risk groups between the two frameworks. However, the association between gaming disorder symptoms and personality traits, life satisfaction, and psychopathological symptoms appeared consistent across the two frameworks. The results showed excellent psychometric properties in support of the one-factor model of the GDT, IGDT-10, and GDT-5, including good reliability estimates (McDonald's omega) and evidence of construct validity. Additionally, the results demonstrated full gender and age measurement invariance of the GDT, IGDT-10, and GDT-5, indicating that gaming disorder symptoms are measured equally across the subgroups.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that the IGDT-10, GDT-5, and GDT are appropriate measures for assessing gaming disorder symptoms and facilitating future research in Sweden.

Treatment readiness and prognosis for problematic smartphone use: Evaluation of the Stages of Change, Readiness, and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) and log data

Aim

While moderate smartphone use contributes to information gathering and relationship building, excessive smartphone use, also referred to as problematic smartphone use (PSU), has raised concerns because of its addictive nature and associated health consequences. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between treatment readiness and prognosis in individuals with PSU and to assess the predictive ability of smartphone log data in evaluating treatment readiness.

Methods

A sample of 47 patients with PSU participated in this study. Treatment readiness was assessed using the Stages of Change, Readiness, and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES), and log data were collected using a smartphone log application.

Results

The results showed a significant correlation between baseline SOCRATES scores and the difference in Global Assessment of Functioning scores between baseline and 6 months (Spearman's ρ = 0.640, P-value = .001), suggesting that treatment readiness may explain part of the treatment outcomes (Pearson's r 2 = 0.379, P-value = 0.032). In addition, baseline log data, including the log acquisition rate, showed a positive correlation with treatment readiness (Spearman's ρ = 0.328, P-value = 0.045).

Conclusion

These findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between treatment readiness and clinical outcomes in patients with PSU, and suggest the potential of log data as objective indicators of treatment motivation.

Clinical Usefulness of a Short Version of the Internet Addiction Test to Screen for Probable Internet Addiction in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Internet addiction (IA) is defined as the condition of being addicted to all sorts of activities on the Internet. Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), may be susceptible to IA. Early detection and intervention for probable IA are important to prevent severe IA. In this study, we investigated the clinical usefulness of a short version of the Internet Addiction Test (s-IAT) for the screening of IA among autistic adolescents. The subjects were 104 adolescents with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD. They were requested to answer 20 questions from the original Internet Addiction Test (IAT). In the data analysis process, we comparatively calculated the sum of scores to the 12 questions of s-IAT. In total, 14 of the 104 subjects were diagnosed as having IA based on the face-to-face clinical interview that was regarded as the gold standard. Statistical analysis suggested that the optimal cut-off for s-IAT was at 35. When we applied the cut-off of 70 on the IAT, only 2 of 14 subjects (14.3%) with IA were screened positive, whereas 10 (71.4%) of them were screened by using the cut-off point of 35 on s-IAT. The s-IAT might be useful for the screening of IA in adolescents with ASD.