Internet Gaming Disorder in the DSM-5: Engagement vs. Addiction

The current study aimed to examine the distinction between engagement and addiction in the DSM-5 Internet gaming disorder (IGD) criteria with regards to known negative consequences of IGD. Participants were 216 (62.0% males) gamers. Their ages ranged from 18 to 38 years (M = 23.44, SD = 3.86). Participants completed instruments assessing IGD, sleep quality, negative emotional states, and quality of life. The results showed that only the three addiction items, withdrawal, deception, and relieve negative moods, significantly predicted negative consequences. In contrast, the two engagement items, preoccupation and tolerance, did not significantly predict negative consequences. Overall, the results provided support for the engagement-addiction distinction and contributed to the wider debate on the validity of the other criteria. Limitations include the low Cronbach’s alpha for the sleep quality instrument and the examination of only a subset of known negative consequences of IGD. Future research directions include using other measures of sleep quality, assessing other negative consequences of IGD, and empirically examining the validity of the DSM-5 IGD criteria