Harmless Play or Addiction? A psychological Test for “Gaming Disorder” was developed
Computer games are especially for children and young people extremely popular. However, many adults are often unable to stop even with the “Gamble”. Some people are addicted to it. But how to recognize addiction to a computer game? Help could be here in the future, developed a new Test for “Gaming Disorder,” the researchers now.
Computer game addiction recognized as mental illness
The world health organization (WHO) has behavior a few days ago, in addition to compulsive sexual and Burnout play also excessive computer officially as a disease recognized. The inclusion of the so-called “Gaming Disorder” in the disease, the catalogue of the WHO and the associated Definition to provide new opportunities to explore health and psycho-social effects of excessive computer gaming. Researchers led by Professor Christian Assembly of the University of Ulm have now developed the world’s first psychological Test for the study of computer game addiction.
Effects of computer games
Video games are mainly for Younger extremely popular. Many parents, however, Worry that the harm to many children.
However, such games are often better than their reputation. As scientific studies have shown that some computer players are able to learn better and that video games are sometimes good for the brain development.
In addition, researchers from Canada have reported that certain video games might protect against dementia.
However, the negative sides of the “Daddelns showed in studies”. So, canadian scientists found that some video games can destroy valuable brain mass in the Hippocampus Area.
In addition, such games can be addictive.
Severe impairment of the family life
In a communication from the University of Ulm, explains, people, the behavior of your Gaming can no longer control, the computer game a priority over other activities grant, and in this behavior despite the negative consequences, nothing will change, according to the new WHO Definition of computer game addiction suffering.
Some months ago, the world health organisation, the so-called Gaming Disorder in the 11. Edition of its disease catalog “International Classification of Diseases” (ICD-11) added – now the catalog has been extended officially.
According to the WHO, but it can be assumed that the computer game addiction, if the Affected of this behavior pattern over a minimum of twelve months and it comes to serious impairment of family life, education or work performance.
The first psycho-metric Instrument to the new WHO criteria
Already in 2013, the related problem “Internet Gaming Disorder” has been included at least as a working term in the Appendix of the diagnostic directory (“Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” – DSM-5) of the American psychiatric society.
Due to different diagnostic criteria results of previous psychological testing for “Internet Gaming Disorder” but only due to the computer game addiction according to the WHO-criteria for transfer.
Therefore, Researchers have developed from Ulm, Cologne, London, as well as from Chinese universities and from Australia, the world’s first psychometric Instrument for the investigation of the “Gaming Disorder” according to the new WHO criteria.
Their results were published in the scientific magazine “International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction”.
The “Gaming Disorder Test” is via the Online platform “www.gaming-disorder.org” now also in the German language, accessible to the public.
Test on a sample checked
The information that is now presented Online questionnaire based on the criteria of the WHO and recorded Gaming activities in the past twelve months up to the day of the survey, on a scale of one to five (1 stands for the self-assessment of “never” and 5 means “very often”).
The aim of this psychometric instrument less the diagnosis as the study of the effects of excessive gambling is. Participants will learn whether their results in comparison with all subjects, and a tendency to “Gaming Disorder“ have.
The researchers have checked your new Test on the basis of a sample of more than 550 young Chinese and British already.
“Excessive video a serious health risk in Asian countries and an emerging Problem in Europe,” said Christian Monday, Heisenberg-Professor and head of the Department of Molecular psychology at the University of Ulm is already playing.
“To be able to large, international studies to perform, we designed the new Instrument cross-culturally and in China, as well as the UK tested”, explains the expert.
Researchers draw a positive balance
According to the communication, the sample consisted of 236 young Chinese people who studied at a University in Beijing, as well as 324 British students from greater London and the East Midlands. The average age was 23 years.
The exclusion criterion for participation in the Online survey was the indication, in the last twelve months, not a video game played.
After the completion of the survey, the scientists have checked with complex statistical procedures, whether the Instrument for the measurement of computer game addiction (“validity”) and whether the construct measures are reliable (“reliability”).
In addition, they were able to draw conclusions about the Gaming behavior of the investigated Chinese and British students to draw. The computer game addiction according to the WHO criteria did not differ between the two national groups was significantly.
On average, the students indicated to play twelve hours in the week. In the process, they spend almost half of this time (46 %) alone on the weekend in front of the Computer or other mobile devices.
A total of 36 participants (6.4 percent) reported major problems in everyday life due to their playing behavior and, thus, could meet the diagnostic criteria of the WHO. After this test run, the researchers draw a positive balance:
“The Gaming Disorder Test seems to be suitable to the frequency and the bows in combination with other matter, also effects of computer game addiction in large, cross-cultural groups, according to the proposed WHO criteria to determine,” said Monday.
The new questionnaire should be validated on patient samples.
Study on computer game addiction planned
The research group is currently planning the largest study on computer game addiction with the least possible Thousands of participants: For all Interested parties in the Gaming Disorder Test online is available.
The researchers hope to understand at what point computer health) Problem play (it is, and what factors contribute to the Emergence of the “Gaming Disorder” will be examined, for example, socio-demographic characteristics, the individual personality and Motivation of the Gamer.
In the study, researchers were involved in the end of the Medical faculty of the University of Tasmania(Australia), of Birkbeck University in London, the Chinese Beijing University, and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu.
From Germany, scientists were scientists from the universities of Ulm and Cologne significantly.
For The Term “Gaming Disorder”
As in the communication from the University of Ulm finally, it is explained, has included the world health organization (WHO), the new disease as a “Gaming Disorder” in their catalog the “International Classification of Diseases”.
There has been no uniform English Translation: frequently in German descriptive terms are searches for “computer game” or “video game addiction” is used.
However, it should be noted that the WHO of the term “Addiction” apart.
Rather, the English term “Gaming Disorder” describes a disorder that is characterized by playing excessive computer. It remains to be seen what term will prevail in the German. (ad)