One of the arguments for including Internet gaming disorder in DSM-5 is that the literature has highlighted several distinguishing features and increased risks associated with online gaming (Petry et al., 2014). The underlying argument for including Internet gaming disorder in the DSM is that the condition is associated with various negative outcomes. Studies conducted in Europe about online gaming activities has found that the disorder is associated with problematic aspects of individuals’ personalities and social lives, including low sociability, low self-efficacy, and lower satisfaction with life (Festl, Scharkow & Quandt, 2013; Van Rooji, Schoenmakers, Vermulst, Van Den Eijnden & Van De Mheen, 2010). A growing number of studies found psychological
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(2014), compulsive Internet use has been categorised as a mental health issue in many countries, however, China was one of the first to label “Internet addiction” a clinical disorder and conducted researched that focused on Internet gaming. According to Chinese addiction specialist, Dr. Ran Tao, compulsive, excessive involvement with Internet games is a serious health risk to teenagers (Tao, Huang, Wang, Zhang, Zhang & Li, 2010). Research done by Tao et al. (2010) found that people who spend more than six hours on the Internet gaming can become highly addicted to their games, to the extent where some wear diapers as they believe that taking a restroom break will impair their performance at these games. Some gamers have difficult family relationships, become socially introverted and lack or neglect friends in the physical world (Tao et al., 2010). These findings have incited the development of treatment programs which include a mix of medication, therapy and military drills throughout China and South Korea (Petry et al., 2014). The program admits teenagers, typically male, who are forced into these programs against their will by their parents (Tao et al., 2010). Patients are confined to undergo military-like physical training, with their sleep and diet carefully regulated for three to four months, intended to help them reconnect with reality (Petry et al., 2014; Tao et al., 2010). Such drastic measures indicate that Internet gaming disorders is a …show more content…
Much of the literature focuses on male University students, relying on self-surveys and lack time frames, which becomes difficult for studying the long-term impacts of gaming addiction (Kardefelt-Winther, 2014). This challenges the reliability of methodology and validity of the results in some studies. Both King et al. (2013) and Griffiths (2010) note that the lack of a consensus definition of internet-related disorders, a standard diagnostic criteria, screening instruments and measures, leads to inconsistent explanations of underlying pathology and its symptoms. It has been argued whether Internet gaming disorder is a single disorder or should be incorporated into other known disorders, for example, impulse control disorder (Griffiths, 2010; King et al., 2013). This is problematic particularly when gaming has diversified in terms of media use, including games on social networking sites and other associated Internet resources (Griffiths, 2010). Moreover, gaming content has varied and some games can now be played offline that do not involve multiplayers. This questions whether it is appropriate to group different gaming styles and social and role-playing dimension into one category, given that the outcomes will be different
(2014), compulsive Internet use has been categorised as a mental health issue in many countries, however, China was one of the first to label “Internet addiction” a clinical disorder and conducted researched that focused on Internet gaming. According to Chinese addiction specialist, Dr. Ran Tao, compulsive, excessive involvement with Internet games is a serious health risk to teenagers (Tao, Huang, Wang, Zhang, Zhang & Li, 2010). Research done by Tao et al. (2010) found that people who spend more than six hours on the Internet gaming can become highly addicted to their games, to the extent where some wear diapers as they believe that taking a restroom break will impair their performance at these games. Some gamers have difficult family relationships, become socially introverted and lack or neglect friends in the physical world (Tao et al., 2010). These findings have incited the development of treatment programs which include a mix of medication, therapy and military drills throughout China and South Korea (Petry et al., 2014). The program admits teenagers, typically male, who are forced into these programs against their will by their parents (Tao et al., 2010). Patients are confined to undergo military-like physical training, with their sleep and diet carefully regulated for three to four months, intended to help them reconnect with reality (Petry et al., 2014; Tao et al., 2010). Such drastic measures indicate that Internet gaming disorders is a …show more content…
Much of the literature focuses on male University students, relying on self-surveys and lack time frames, which becomes difficult for studying the long-term impacts of gaming addiction (Kardefelt-Winther, 2014). This challenges the reliability of methodology and validity of the results in some studies. Both King et al. (2013) and Griffiths (2010) note that the lack of a consensus definition of internet-related disorders, a standard diagnostic criteria, screening instruments and measures, leads to inconsistent explanations of underlying pathology and its symptoms. It has been argued whether Internet gaming disorder is a single disorder or should be incorporated into other known disorders, for example, impulse control disorder (Griffiths, 2010; King et al., 2013). This is problematic particularly when gaming has diversified in terms of media use, including games on social networking sites and other associated Internet resources (Griffiths, 2010). Moreover, gaming content has varied and some games can now be played offline that do not involve multiplayers. This questions whether it is appropriate to group different gaming styles and social and role-playing dimension into one category, given that the outcomes will be different