Psychiatry Investig.  2017 May;14(3):249-259. 10.4306/pi.2017.14.3.249.

The Hierarchical Implications of Internet Gaming Disorder Criteria: Which Indicate more Severe Pathology?

• Lee SY
• Lee HK
• Jeong H
• Yim HW
• Bhang SY
• Jo SJ
• Baek KY
• Kim E
• Kim MS
• Choi JS
• Kweon YS

• KMID: 2378640
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2017.14.3.249

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To explore the structure of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) criteria and their distribution according to the different severity level of IGD. The associations of psychiatric comorbidities to each IGD symptom and to the IGD severity were also investigated.
METHODS
Consecutively recruited 330 Korean middle school students underwent face-to-face diagnostic interviews to assess their gaming problems by clinicians. The psychiatric comorbidities were also evaluated with a semi-structured instrument. The data was analyzed using principal components analysis and the distribution of criteria among different severity groups was visualized by plotting univariate curves.
RESULTS
Two principal components of "˜Compulsivity' and "˜Tolerance' were extracted. "˜Decrease in other activities' and "˜Jeopardizing relationship/career' may indicate a higher severity of IGD. While "˜Craving' deserved more recognition in clinical utility, "˜Tolerance' did not demonstrate much difference in distribution by the IGD severity. Internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders differed in distribution by the IGD severity.
CONCLUSION
A hierarchic presentation of IGD criteria was revealed. "˜Decrease in other activities' and "˜Jeopardizing relationship/career' may represent a higher severity, thus indicating more clinical attention to such symptoms. However, "˜Tolerance' was not found to be a valid diagnostic criterion.

Keyword

Internet gaming disorder; Diagnostic criteria; Severity; Hierarchy; Principal components analysis

MeSH Terms

Comorbidity
Humans
Immunoglobulin D
Internet*
Pathology*
Immunoglobulin D