Spanish Validation of the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF): Prevalence and Relationship with Online Gambling and Quality of Life.

Marta Beranuy,Halley M Pontes,Juan M Machimbarrena,Joaquín González-Cabrera,Mark D Griffiths,Xavier Carbonell,M Asunción Vega-Osés

doi:10.3390/ijerph17051562

Abstract

Online gaming is a very common form of leisure among adolescents and young people, although its excessive and/or compulsive use is associated with psychological impairments in a minority of gamers. The latest (fifth) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, Section III) tentatively introduced Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). Since then, a number of evaluation tools using the DSM-5 criteria have been developed, including the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short Form (IGDS9-SF). The main objective of this study was to translate and adapt the IGDS9-SF into Spanish, as well as to obtain indicators relating to its validity and reliability. The Spanish version of four scales were administered: IGDS9-SF, Mobile Phone-Related Experiences Questionnaire (CERM), Online Gambling Disorder Questionnaire (OGD-Q), and KIDSCREEN-27. The sample comprised 535 Vocational Training students (mean age 18.35 years; SD±2.13; 78.5% males) who reported playing video games in the past 12 months. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a one-dimensional model with a good fit while the reliability indicators were satisfactory. Findings indicated that 1.9% of gamers were classified with IGD (meeting five or more criteria for more than 12 months). Additionally, another 1.9% were considered gamers ‘at-risk’ because they endorsed four criteria. Positive and significant relationships were found between the IGDS9-SF, the CERM, and the OGD-Q. Participants classified with IGD had poorer health-related quality of life. In conclusion, the Spanish IGDS9-SF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess IGD according to the DSM-5.

Highlights

The way in which individuals interact with technology is constantly evolving
This approach has been defined as the move from general problematic internet use (GPIU) to specific problematic internet use (SPIU) (e.g., [5])
The present study corroborates the psychometric properties of the scores obtained on the IGDS9-SF

Summary

Introduction

The way in which individuals interact with technology is constantly evolving. New behaviors have emerged, communication and leisure activities have changed, and new psychological problems arose. In the late 1990s, concerns about the addictive use of the internet [1,2] were discussed and, since the concept has been extensively studied and debated [3,4,5,6]. It has been addressed from multiple perspectives and researchers have used different terms, ‘internet addiction’ has been one of the most commonly used terms, along with ‘problematic internet use’ [7,8,9]. Research has especially focused on internet gaming [10,11,12], online gambling [13,14,15], online sex/cybersex [16,17], and social media use [18,19,20]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion