Abstract
Background: The present study examined Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and depressive symptom levels among a predominantly female sample of college students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Methods: IGD was assessed among two successive cohorts of students at the beginning of the academic year in 2016 and 2019, respectively. All participants (n = 412) completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) and the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5), a tool widely used for the screening and assessment of depressive symptomatology.Results: Mean IGDS9-SF scores (15.85, SD = 6.40) were fairly similar to those observed in other nations. The prevalence of IGD was 1.45%, based on the stringent cut-off score (> = 40). Prevalence of IGD rose to 18.20% when using the less stringent cut-off (> = 21). There was an increase in the rate of IGD between 2016 and 2019, although not statistically significant. Higher IGDS9-SF scores were associated with greater depressive symptomatology; those scoring above the less stringent IGD cut-off had a greater likelihood of screening positive for depression OR = 2.28, 95% CI (1.176–4.428).Conclusions: This study provides insights about IGD among a predominantly female Arab population, finding a correlation with mood disorder symptomatology and suggesting an increase in problematic gaming over time. The results are discussed with reference to the mood repair hypothesis and the possibility of IGD being a dual disorder. The association with depressive symptoms is also discussed in light of the neurobiology of addictive behaviors and sexual dimorphism.
Highlights
The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, (ICD-11) lists gaming disorder in the section on addictive behaviors [1]
At the time of writing we found no systematic studies of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) among citizens of the relatively wealthy Gulf Arab states (e.g., Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), apart from a report of a pilot study among university students in the UAE (Wanigaratne et al, submitted
Given UAE’s high Internet penetration rates and the recent gender demographic trend in mobile gaming, we aimed to examine the prevalence of IGD with a special focus on female gamers to identify the prevalence of DSM-5 endorsed criteria for IGD among Emirati college students studying in the UAE
Summary
The World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision, (ICD-11) lists gaming disorder in the section on addictive behaviors [1]. In the ICD-11, it is described as online or offline persistent or recurrent gaming in individuals, who experience loss of control over gaming, disproportionately prioritize gaming over other important activities, and continue gaming despite the negative impact of gaming on their daily lives [1]. In acknowledgment of this growing health threat, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) [2]. The present study examined Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and depressive symptom levels among a predominantly female sample of college students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
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