Abstract
Gaming disorder was listed as a condition for further study in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013, and measures of the disorder have mushroomed in the years since. The Gaming Disorder Test (GDT) was developed after gaming disorder was officially included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in 2018. However, it remains unknown whether the GDT, which is based on the ICD-11 framework, is psychometrically similar to or different from the popular nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF) based on the DSM-5 framework. To address this important but unexplored issue, the present study evaluated and compared the psychometric properties of the GDT and IGDS9-SF in a sample of 544 adult gamers (56.2% men; mean age = 28.8, SD = 8.55). The results revealed both measures to have good reliability, structural validity, and criterion validity, with the exception of one IGDS9-SF item with a low factor loading. Moreover, the IGDS9-SF exhibited scalar measurement invariance for gender and age but only partial metric invariance for employment status, whereas the GDT exhibited scalar measurement invariance for all three demographic characteristics. Finally, the GDT displayed incremental validity over the IGDS9-SF in explaining gaming time, but not social anxiety and depressive symptoms. This study thus contributes to the literature by comparing measures derived from distinct gaming disorder diagnostic frameworks empirically. Recommendations for the selection of gaming disorder measures by researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Highlights
Video gaming has become an integral part of life for many players, but gaming can become problematic if it interferes with psychosocial functioning [e.g., [1, 2]]
For the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT), the Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model showed a good fit to the data, as indicated by all five model fit indices: χ2 = 5.646, CFI = 0.991, TLI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.017, and SRMR = 0.016
We conducted a psychometric investigation of the GDT developed based on the ICD-11 framework [2] and the IGDS9SF developed based on the DSM-5 framework [7]
Summary
Video gaming has become an integral part of life for many players, but gaming can become problematic if it interferes with psychosocial functioning [e.g., [1, 2]]. Reflecting widespread concerns over problematic gaming, Internet gaming disorder was listed as a condition for further study in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder [DSM-5; [3]]. The DSM-5 framework comprises nine criteria: 1) preoccupation with gaming; 2) withdrawal symptoms when gaming is not accessible; 3) increasing amounts of time spent on gaming; 4) unsuccessful attempts to control gaming; 5) loss of interest in other hobbies or activities; Comparison of Gaming Disorder Measures. Researchers have adopted the DSM-5 framework to develop measures of gaming disorder [e.g., [6]], with one of the most popular measure being the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form [IGDS9-SF; [7]]. The IGDS9-SF has been widely adopted and validated in a range of cultural regions such as Australia, Hong Kong, Portugal, and Turkey [e.g., [8,9,10,11]]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
