Abstract
Background
Gaming disorder was added to the 11th version of the international classification of disease by the world health organization in early 2019. Adolescents are the most vulnerable group in this area. Thus, a screening tool for this age range is essential. This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the gaming disorder scale for adolescents (GADIS-A) in an Iranian male sample.
Methods
260 male students-7th to 12th grade-from Isfahan city in the academic year 2020–2021 were selected using convenience sampling. The participants responded to the Farsi version of the GADIS-A and problematic online game questionnaire (POGQ). Thirty participants answered the scale again to assess the validity of the retest. Pearson’s correlation analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and confirmatory factor analysis were used. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 24 and R software packages psych and lavaan.
Results
Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the two-factor model, which included cognitive-behavioral symptoms and negative consequences, had good fitness indices. The GADIS-A convergent validity is confirmed by the scale’s significant correlation with the POGQ. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to determine the scale’s validity, which was 0.85 for the full scale and 0.70 and 0.75 for two factors. The validity of the retest after two weeks also showed a correlation of 0.88.
Conclusion
The Farsi version of the gaming disorder scale for adolescents has a two-factor structure and is valid for use in Iran.
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Introduction
People use digital games for many reasons: relaxation, challenge, social interaction, and recreation [1]. For most, gaming is an enjoyable activity that can improve social and cognitive skills [2] and is also helpful in teaching [3]. Although gaming has some benefits [4], gaming without limits can be addicting [5] and cause negative consequences [6]. As a result, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) was added to Section III of the DSM-5 as a diagnosis that needs further research in 2013 [7]. IGD consists of nine criteria that apply to online gaming or gaming on any electronic device: (1) preoccupation with gaming, (2) withdrawal when not playing, (3) tolerance, (4) unsuccessful attempts to reduce or stop gaming, (5) giving up other activities, (6) continued gaming despite problems, (7) deception or covering up gaming, (8) gaming to escape negative moods, and (9) risking or losing relationships or career opportunities as a result of excessive gaming [8].
In addition, Gaming Disorder (GD) was added to the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization in early 2019. The following three criteria must be present to diagnose GD: a consistent and recurrent pattern of gaming activity (digital or video games) offline or online; (1) inability to control the game, (2) prioritization of the game above other activities, and (3) continuation or escalation of the game despite negative consequences [9].
The criteria for this disorder are different in ICD-11 and DSM-5 [10, 11]. The ICD-11 framework, for example, highlights the functional impairment part of GD, which means GD Clinical symptoms should be severe enough to affect personal, family, social, educational, occupational, and/or other aspects of life [10]. While these negative consequences are merely one of the nine DSM criteria, they are not necessary for diagnosis. Moreover, the DSM-5 framework, on the other hand, includes an extensive range of cognitive and behavioral symptoms of the disorder [7]. Furthermore, The WHO has set exclusion criteria for diagnosing GD in the ICD-11. These include hazardous gaming, bipolar type I, and bipolar type II [9].
On the other hand, children and adolescents are more susceptible to GD due to immaturity and limited cognitive capacity [12,38] two-factor model. These results are congruent with Nazari et al. [41], who also discovered a two-factor structure for this instrument.
Items 1, 2, 4, and 5 are part of the first factor, referred to as cognitive-behavioral symptoms. These questions reflect an inability to control the amount of time spent playing despite the negative consequences. Research literature shows GD can cause a drop in school grades, jeopardize family, friendly and emotional relationships, and affect leisure activities [6, 55,56,57,58]. These adverse outcomes assessed in second-factor negative consequences are identified in items 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The scale’s final item assesses the frequency and severity of problems caused by gaming for the individual. These items are based on the ICD-11 criteria and cover all of them.
According to the Table. 1, the prevalence of GD in this research was 4.2 percent. These results are consistent with prior studies on Iranian primary school students, which discovered a 5.9 percent prevalence rate of IGD [32]. The ICD-11 has a higher diagnostic threshold for GD than the DSM-5 [59]. The similarity of the prevalence rates in these two studies is explained by the fact that the current research was conducted during the pandemic and school closure. These factors may increase the time spent playing video games [60] and the prevalence of GD among adolescents [61].
Using a large number of samples per question was one of the study’s strengths. The current research had some limitations, most notably participation and data collection. According to sampling, the convenience sample approach and the absence of female individuals limited the range of comparators for validity. There are possible cultural biases in the translating process. For example, the phrase "poor reference" in item 9 has been removed since such a reference is uncommon for admission to the university and the job market in Iran. The research was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic and school closure, and data was collected online rather than in person. Data were acquired using self-report tools, which are prone to methodological flaws. The stressful pandemic condition may have worsened the individuals’ mental health difficulties and everyday psychological life suffering [62].
Future research should examine samples of adolescent girls because this area lacks significant research [63]. In addition, there is a major paucity of epidemiological research on GD or IGD in Iran. The current study’s standardized scale can be used in future epidemiological studies.
Conclusion
Eventually, The gaming disorder scale for adolescents in Persian has a two-factor structure and is appropriate for use in Iran.
Availability of data and materials
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- AIC:
-
Akaike’s information criterion
- BIC:
-
Bayesian information criterion
- CFA:
-
Confirmatory factor analysis
- CVI:
-
Content validity index
- CVR:
-
Content validity ratio
- CBS:
-
Cognitive behavioral symptoms
- DSM-5:
-
Diagnostical and statistical manual 5th edition
- EFPA:
-
European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations
- GADIS-A:
-
Gaming disorder scale for adolescents
- GAS-7:
-
Gaming addiction scale 7 items
- GAS-21:
-
Gaming addiction scale 21 items
- GD:
-
Gaming disorder
- ICD-11:
-
International classification of disease 11th version
- IGD:
-
Internet gaming disorder
- IGDS-SF9:
-
Internet gaming disorder-short form 9 item
- ML:
-
Maximum likelihood
- NC:
-
Negative consequences
- POGQ:
-
Problematic online gaming questionnaire
- WHO:
-
World Health Organization
- WLMSV:
-
Weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted
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Data collection and writing the article: AM, data analysis: HF, Supervision: ZT. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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This research is based on the psychometric part of the master’s dissertation in clinical psychology and was approved by the ethics committee of the psychology and educational sciences faculty of the University of Tehran (code:IR.UT.PSYEDU.REC.1399.025). Participants gave informed consent to participate in the study and were informed that their information would be kept confidential. All methods were carried out following the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant guidelines and regulations. Another article related to a qualitative study on internet gaming disorder and gaming disorder will be taken from this dissertation.
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Mazaherizadeh, A., Taherifar, Z. & Farahani, H. Psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the gaming disorder scale for adolescents (GADIS-A). BMC Psychol 10, 195 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00899-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00899-1