The development of the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire

Background: Online gaming has become increasingly popular. However, this has led to concerns that these games might induce serious problems and/or lead to dependence for a minority of players. Aim: The aim of this study was to uncover and operationalize the components of problematic online gaming. Methods: A total of 3415 gamers (90% males; mean age 21 years), were recruited through online gaming websites. A combined method of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied. Latent profile analysis was applied to identify persons at-risk. Results: EFA revealed a six-factor structure in the background of problematic online gaming that was also confirmed by a CFA. For the assessment of the identified six dimensions – preoccupation, overuse, immersion, social isolation, interpersonal conflicts, and withdrawal – the 18-item Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ) proved to be exceedingly suitable. Based on the latent profile analysis, 3.4% of the gamer population was considered to be at high risk, while another 15.2% was moderately problematic. Conclusions: The POGQ seems to be an adequate measurement tool for the differentiated assessment of gaming related problems on six subscales

The Development of the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ)

BACKGROUND: Online gaming has become increasingly popular. However, this has led to concerns that these games might induce serious problems and/or lead to dependence for a minority of players. AIM: The aim of this study was to uncover and operationalize the components of problematic online gaming. METHODS: A total of 3415 gamers (90% males; mean age 21 years), were recruited through online gaming websites. A combined method of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied. Latent profile analysis was applied to identify persons at-risk. RESULTS: EFA revealed a six-factor structure in the background of problematic online gaming that was also confirmed by a CFA. For the assessment of the identified six dimensions--preoccupation, overuse, immersion, social isolation, interpersonal conflicts, and withdrawal--the 18-item Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ) proved to be exceedingly suitable. Based on the latent profile analysis, 3.4% of the gamer population was considered to be at high risk, while another 15.2% was moderately problematic. CONCLUSIONS: The POGQ seems to be an adequate measurement tool for the differentiated assessment of gaming related problems on six subscales

Problémás onlinejáték-használat

A kutatások jelzései szerint az online játékok számának növekedésével párhuzamosan nőtt a problémás használók száma is. Ezért egyre több kutatás és tanulmány célja az online játékok hatásainak feltérképezése. Jelen áttekintés célja az online játékok evolúciójának, illetve típusainak és ezek főbb jellemzőinek bemutatása. A szerzők kitérnek a definíciós kérdésekre, a problémás használat tünettanára, ismertetik az alkalmazható mérőeszközöket, az elterjedtségre vonatkozóan rendelkezésre álló adatokat, valamint tárgyalják az etiológiai kérdéseket. Ismertetik a komorbiditásra vonatkozó eredményeket, valamint a megelőzés és kezelés terén megjelenő törekvéseket, s ezek eredményeit

Boldogan éltek, amíg meg nem haltak egy virtuális világban Magyar MMORPG játékosok motivációjának és személyiségvonásainak összefüggése a korral

Kutatásunkban a World of Warcraft-ot vizsgáltuk, amely az egyik legnépszerűbb MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game — Sokrésztvevős Online Szerepjáték) világszerte. Külföldön már sok kutatás bizonyította a játék okozta negatív hatásokat, de a magyarországi játékos populáció ismerete még gyerekcipőben jár. Célunk az volt, hogy egy alapvető képet kapjuk a magyar felhasználókról. Ezért megvizsgáltuk van-e kapcsolat koruk, motivációjuk és személyiségjegyeik között. A vizsgálathoz saját motivációs kérdőívünket, a Big Five Questionnaire-t és három általános kérdést (nem, kor, heti játszott óra) használtunk. Szignifikáns különbséget találtunk három korcsoportközött(1. csoport: 13-18 évesek, 2. csoport: 19-26, 3. csoport: 27-51), a teljesítménnyel kapcsolatos motivációs komponensek, az eszképizmus, és a nyitottság BFQ személyiség vonás átlagaiban. Az eredmények arra engednek következtetni, hogy a legfiatalabb korosztályra sokkal jellemzőbb az eszképizmus, inkább motiváltak a teljesítmény orientált viselkedésre a játékban és kevésbé nyitottak. Online gaming is a mainstream recreational activity in contemporary times. The most popular MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), World of Warcraft reached 11 million subscribers in 2008. MMORPGs offer an alternative social environment where people can interact, just like in the real world. Our goal was to explore relationships concerning the age, the motivational components, and the personality traits of world of warcraft players. We collected data with an online survey, which contained a motivational questionnaire (developed by the authors according to Nick Yee's motivational components), the Big Five Questionnaire, and three other questions to get general information on sex, age, and weekly hours spent in the game. The survey was filled out properly by 1669 subjects. Three groups were created based on the age of the subjects (groupl: 13-18, group2: 19-26, group3: 27-51). Results showed that the first group was significantly different from the other groups in achievement connected to motivational components, escapism, and the openness BFQ personality factor

Confirmation of the Chinese version of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short Form (PIUQ-SF)

Although an increasing number of studies have focused on problematic Internet use, numerous measures exist with only modest investigation into their reliability and validity, both within and across different cultures (Király et al. 2015). The most frequently used questionnaire is the Internet Addiction Test (Young 1998). However, its factor structure appears to be unstable (e.g., Fernandez-Villa et al. 2015; Pontesetal. 2014). Koronczai et al. (2011) suggested that a suitable measure should fit six basic requirements. More specifically, it should be (i) comprehensive, that is examining more, possibly all, aspects of problematic Internet use; (ii) as concise as possible, in order to be able to assess the more impulsive population, and to use in time-limited surveys (or having different forms with different length). Such a measure should be (iii) reliable and valid for different methods of data collection (e.g. online, paper-and-pencil self-rating, face-to-face); as well as (iv) for different age groups (e.g. adolescents and adults), and (v) in different cultural settings. Finally, (vi) cut-off scores should be defined on the basis of clinical examination. The Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) (Demetrovics et al. 2008) fulfills several of the aforementioned criteria. The 18-item PIUQ is a comprehensive measure that assesses three basic aspects of problematic Internet use (i.e., obsession, neglect, and control disorder). The 18-item and the shorter 9-item versions of the PIUQ have a reliable structure, and are suitable for time-limited surveys and have proved to be valid across various methods of data collection (i.e., online as well as paper-pencil) and age groups (Demetrovics et al. 2008; Koronczai et al. 2011). However, its implementation has so far mostly taken place in Western individualistic cultures (Kelley and Gruber 2010, 2013; Koronczai et al. 2011; Zahodne et al. 2011. To date, the PIUQ has also been applied in a survey in Iran with good Cronbach’s alpha coefficients and subscales (Mazhari 2012a, 2012b). Consequently, validation of the questionnaire in a culture that is significantly different from the Western culture is needed. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was the validation of the 9-item PIUQ among the Chinese population

Characteristics and psychiatric symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder among adults using self-reported DSM-5 criteria

Objective: The Section III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) proposed nine diagnostic criteria and five cut-point criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). We aimed to examine the efficacy of such criteria. Methods: Adults (n=3041, men: 1824, women: 1217) who engaged in internet gaming within last 6 months completed a self-report online survey using the suggested wordings of the criteria in DSM-5. Major characteristics, gaming behavior, and psychiatric symptoms of IGD were analyzed using ANOVA, chi-square, and correlation analyses. Results: The sociodemographic variables were not statistically significant between the healthy controls and the risk group. Among the participants, 419 (13.8%) were identified and labeled as the IGD risk group. The IGD risk group scored significantly higher on all motivation subscales (p<0.001). The IGD risk group showed significantly higher scores than healthy controls in all nine psychiatric symptom dimensions, i.e., somatization, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism (p<0.001). Conclusion: The IGD risk group showed differential psychopathological manifestations according to DSM-5 IGD diagnostic criteria. Further studies are needed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the specific criteria, especially for developing screening instruments

Psychometric properties of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short-Form (PIUQ-SF-6) in a nationally representative sample of adolescents

Despite the large number of measurement tools developed to assess problematic Internet use, numerous studies use measures with only modest investigation into their psychometric properties. The goal of the present study was to validate the short (6-item) version of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) on a nationally representative adolescent sample (n = 5,005; mean age 16.4 years, SD = 0.87) and to determine a statistically established cut-off value. Data were collected within the framework of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs project. Results showed an acceptable fit of the original three-factor structure to the data. In addition, a MIMIC model was carried out to justify the need for three distinct factors. The sample was divided into users at-risk of problematic Internet use and those with no-risk using a latent profile analysis. Two latent classes were obtained with 14.4% of adolescents belonging to the at-risk group. Concurrent and convergent validity were tested by comparing the two groups across a number of variables (i.e., time spent online, academic achievement, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and preferred online activities). Using the at-risk latent profile analysis class as the gold standard, a cut-off value of 15 (out of 30) was suggested based on sensitivity and specificity analyses. In conclusion, the brief version of the (6-item) PIUQ also appears to be an appropriate measure to differentiate between Internet users at risk of developing problematic Internet use and those not at risk. Furthermore, due to its brevity, the shortened PIUQ is advantageous to utilize within large-scale surveys assessing many different behaviors and/or constructs by reducing the overall number of survey questions, and as a consequence, likely increasing completion rates

Prevalence of problematic internet use in Slovenia

Internet use is an integral part of our everyday activities; however, Internet use may become problematic and harmful in a minority of cases. The majority of reported prevalence rates of problematic Internet use refer to adolescent samples, whereas epidemiological studies on representative adult populations are lacking. This study aimed to reveal the prevalence and characteristics of problematic Internet use in Slovenia