Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Addictive Disorders
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1442224

Prevalence, Correlates, and Comorbidities of Internet Gaming Disorder and Problematic Game Use: National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021

Provisionally accepted
Young-Mi Ko Young-Mi Ko 1Eun Sol Lee Eun Sol Lee 1Subin Park Subin Park 2*
  • 1 Mental Health Research Institute, Division of Mental Health Research, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • 2 Mental Health Research Institute, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: This study investigated the prevalence, correlates, and comorbidities of Internet Gaming Disorder and problematic game use among the general population in Korea.: The data of 2,764 individuals aged 18 to 49 years who participated in the National Mental Health Survey of Korea 2021 were analyzed. The diagnostic assessments were based on the Structured Clinical Interview for Internet Gaming Disorder and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The Game Overuse Screening Questionnaire assessed problematic game use.Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, and a complex sampling design analysis was applied.The 12-month prevalence rate of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) was 0.8% and the 1month prevalence rate of problematic game use was 8.4%. IGD was higher in men, younger people, unemployed, and in those with low physical activity, dissatisfaction with their quality of life, and who perceived more loneliness and social isolation. While both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were significantly associated with IGD, only ADHD was significantly associated with problematic game use.IGD and problematic game use are relatively prevalent in the Korean adult population and are comorbid with AUD and ADHD. Therefore, a preventive strategy for IGD and problematic game use is needed for game users who are more likely to be addicted, such as younger male users. In addition, mental health screening and appropriate treatment for both game addiction and comorbid psychiatric disorders should be provided to individuals with IGD and problematic game use.

    Keywords: Internet gaming disorder, Problematic game use, Comorbidity, Prevalence, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

    Received: 01 Jun 2024; Accepted: 30 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ko, Lee and Park. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Subin Park, Mental Health Research Institute, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.