Abstract
The prevalence of internet gaming disorders (IGD) is considerably high among youth, especially with the social isolation imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. IGD adversely affects mental health, quality of life, and academic performance. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF) is designed to detect IGD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. However, inconsistent results are reported on its capacity to diagnose IGD evenly across different cultures. To ensure the suitability of the IGDS9-SF as a global measure of IGD, this study examined the psychometric properties of the IGDS9-SF in a sample of Sri Lankan university students (N = 322, mean age = 17.2 ± 0.6, range = 16–18 years, 56.5% males) and evaluated its measurement invariance across samples from Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA. Among Sri Lankan students, a unidimensional structure expressed good fit, invariance across different groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, and income), adequate criterion validity (strong correlation with motives of internet gaming, daily gaming duration, and sleep quality), and good reliability (alpha = 0.81). Males and online multiplayers expressed higher IGD levels, greater time spent gaming, and more endorsement of gaming motives (e.g., Social and Coping) than females and offline players. Across countries, the IGDS9-SF was invariant at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, although strict invariance was not maintained. The lowest and highest IGD levels were reported among Turkish and American respondents, respectively. In conclusion, the IGDS9-SF can be reliably used to measure IGD among Sri Lankan youth. Because the scale holds scalar invariance across countries, its scores can be used to compare IGD levels in the studied countries.
Highlights
We considered model fit in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)/multigroup CFA to be good or acceptable based on a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) and Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) equal to or above 0.95 and 0.90, respectively, along with a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and standardized root-mean-square residual (SRMR) less than 0.06 and 0.08, respectively [34]
Consistent with previous studies, data obtained from the Sri Lankan and international samples expressed good fit of the single factor structure of the IGDS9-SF, with all items adequately loading on this factor (Table 2, Figure 1)
Configural and metric invariance of the IGDS9-SF across countries in our study indicates that Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is conceptualized by participants from poor countries (e.g., Sri Lanka), countries with evolving economies (e.g., Turkey), and developed countries (Australia and the USA)
Summary
Internet gaming is commonly used as a recreational activity among children, adolescents, and young adults [1]. Collaborative campaign (#PlayApartTogether) has been employed to promote online gaming as a method of fostering socialization while maintaining spatial distancing to prevent infection spread [2–4]. Increased risk for excessive gaming and increased screen use time among youth during COVID-19 may be a method to compensate for negative emotions associated with social isolation/being homebound, lack of meaningful activities (e.g., due to closure of schools and workplaces), inability to participate in entertainment activities that were available before the pandemic (e.g., clubs and cinemas), and COVID-19 burnout [3–6]. Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is defined as a behavioral pattern of persistent and recurrent involvement in online and offline games, resulting in remarkable distress and impairment in essential life activities (work and study) for a period of 12 months or more [7,8].
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