Inclusion of gaming disorder in the diagnostic classifications and promotion of public health response

There are ongoing controversies regarding the upcoming ICD-11 concept of gaming disorder. Recently, Aarseth et al. have put this diagnostic entity into scrutiny. Although we, a group of Iranian researchers and clinicians, acknowledge some of Aarseth et al.’s concerns, believe that the inclusion of gaming disorder in the upcoming ICD-11 would facilitate necessary steps to raise public awareness, enhance development of proper diagnostic approaches and treatment interventions, and improve health and non-health policies

Ambiguities in existing Iranian national policies addressing excessive gaming : Commentary on: Policy responses to problematic video game use: A systematic review of current measures and future possibilities (Király et al., 2018)

Considering the scarcity of available science and controversies around effective policies addressing gaming disorder and its health-related consequences, Király et al. have conducted a systematic review on current evidence regarding this issue. We, a group of researchers in this field, would like to express our perspective from Iran. With rapid growth of gaming, Iran seems to be facing some specific policy issues and challenges, which are going to be reviewed in this short commentary