Testing the Predictive Validity and Construct of Pathological Video Game Use

Measuring attraction to screen devices in early childhood: development of the Affinity-TV and Affinity-Mobile scales

Introduction

With the increasing integration of digital screen devices into our everyday life, there has been increased attention regarding the risk of "problematic" use or pathological use. Because children start using screen devices in the first few years of life, early identification of those at risk for future problematic use could inform early prevention efforts. Children's attraction to screen devices in early childhood may identify those at risk for future problematic use; however currently, there are no measures of toddlers' attraction or affinity to screen devices. The objective of this study was to develop survey measures of toddler affinity to screen media, inclusive of televisions, smartphones, and tablets.

Methods

Measures were developed using an exploratory sequential mixed methods (qualitative -> quantitative) approach. Participants were Mexican American mothers of toddlers 15-26 months old. Findings from semi-structured interviews were used to develop items reflecting parental reports of child affinity to screen devices. Items were administered by phone to 384 mothers. Analyses included evaluation of the factor structure and psychometric properties of Affinity-TV (10 items) and Affinity-Mobile (12 items), and evaluations of correlations between each scale with social emotional outcomes and demographic characteristics.

Results

Factor analysis supported a one-factor solution for each scale. Reliabilities were acceptable for both scales (Cronbach's alpha > .75). There was a significant positive correlation between Affinity-TV and Affinity-Mobile (rs = 0.44, p < 0.001). Affinity-TV was significantly positively correlated with toddler average daily minutes of TV use (rs = 0.27, p < 0.001) and average daily minutes of mobile use (rs = 0.10, p < 0.05). Affinity-Mobile was significantly positively correlated with toddler average daily minutes of mobile use (rs = 0.31, p < 0.001), but not with average daily minutes of TV (rs = -0.04, NS). Each scale was correlated with social emotional developmental outcomes.

Discussion

The Affinity-TV and Affinity-Mobile scales have good initial reliability and adequate predictive validity. These findings support the use of Affinity-TV and Affinity-Mobile in toddlers as measures of children's attraction to screen devices. These measures may help to identify early risk for problematic use, and they offer a novel way to evaluate a child's behavioral reaction to screen devices in early childhood.

Relationship between Prosocial Behaviours and Addiction Problems: A Systematic Review

The relationship of addiction problems with other pathologies or with different problematic factors has often been studied by psychology. Positive psychology is also currently approaching to these problems and their relationship with positive factors, such as prosocial behaviours. The purpose of this research is to carry out a systematic review of the scientific literature that has studied this relationship from 1900 to 2020. After the screening process with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 15 articles were selected. The main characteristics found in this relationship and the problems or limitations of investigations that have found relationships other than the mainstream, which show a negative relationship between prosocial behaviours and addiction problems, are discussed.

Screening and assessment tools for gaming disorder: A comprehensive systematic review

The inclusion of gaming disorder (GD) as an official diagnosis in the ICD-11 was a significant milestone for the field. However, the optimal measurement approaches for GD are currently unclear. This comprehensive systematic review aimed to identify and evaluate all available English-language GD tools and their corresponding evidence. A search of PsychINFO, PsychArticles, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified 32 tools employed in 320 studies (N = 462,249 participants). The evaluation framework examined tools in relation to: (1) conceptual and practical considerations; (2) alignment with DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria; (3) type and quantity of studies and samples; and (4) psychometric properties. The evaluation showed that GD instrumentation has proliferated, with 2.5 tools, on average, published annually since 2013. Coverage of DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria was inconsistent, especially for the criterion of continued use despite harm. Tools converge on the importance of screening for impaired control over gaming and functional impairment. Overall, no single tool was found to be clearly superior, but the AICA-Sgaming, GAS-7, IGDT-10, IGDS9-SF, and Lemmens IGD-9 scales had greater evidential support for their psychometric properties. The GD field would benefit from a standard international tool to identify gaming-related harms across the spectrum of maladaptive gaming behaviors.

Problem Gaming: A Short Primer

As the popularity of video games has risen so too has the worry about the problems associated with playing them. The authors review the research concerning problem gaming, its similarity to some clinical addictions like gambling and drug and alcohol abuse, and current treatment options. They conclude that, regardless of how researchers and medical professionals assess the nature of a gaming disorder, few who play video games experience negative consequences from doing so and, at best, only a small subset of players might be considered to suffer from an addiction to it.