An empirical analysis of the nine Internet Gaming Disorder criteria

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has received increased scientific attention since May 2013, and its assessment can be conducted using the nine criteria suggested by American Psychiatric Association (APA). This study examined the role of each IGD criterion using a conditional inference tree model. Methods: A total of 3,377 gamers (82.7% male, mean age 20 years, SD = 4.3 years) were recruited to the present study. In addition to collecting sociodemographic information, participants filled out the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) based on the DSM-5 criteria. Results: The conditional inference tree model revealed that endorsement of ‘withdrawal’ (criterion 2) and ‘loss of control’ (criterion 4) increased the likelihood of IGD by 77.77% (95%CI: 62.09–93.45) while endorsing ‘withdrawal’, ‘loss of control’ and ‘negative consequences’ (criterion 9) increased the likelihood of IGD by 26.66% (95%CI: 4.28–49.04). Finally, not endorsing ‘withdrawal’ but endorsing ‘preoccupation’ (criterion 1) increased the probability of IGD by 7.14% (95%CI: 1.63–12.65). Conclusions: Overall, these results suggest that not all IGD criteria carry the same diagnostic weight as each criterion can play a different role in the development of IGD. It is envisaged that these findings will help improve the assessment of IGD in the future

From logic of competition to conflict: understanding the dynamics of EU-Russia relations

To understand the gradual worsening of EU–Russia relations in the decade preceding the Ukraine crisis, it is essential to understand the dynamics of their interaction. This article divides EU–Russia relations into three stages on the basis of changing intergroup dynamics: asymmetrical cooperation (1992–2003), pragmatic but increasing competition (2004–2013) and conflict (2013–present). It draws on the concept of ‘attributional bias’ to explain the escalating logic of competition during the second stage. The EU and Russia started to attribute each other negative geopolitical intentions up to the point where these images became so dominant that they interpreted each other’s behaviour almost exclusively in terms of these images, rather than on the basis of their actual behaviour. With the Ukraine crisis, EU–Russia relations changed from competition over institutional arrangements in the neighbourhood and over normative hegemony to conflict over direct control

"Girls can't play": The effects of stereotype threat on females' gaming performance

The current study examined the impact of stereotype threat on female online gamers' performance and further examined whether manipulating the availability of multiple social identities effectively eliminated these performance decrements. Further, participants' implicit attitudes towards female online gamers were assessed. Eighty-one participants (60 female) were assigned to one of four experimental conditions: 1), stereotype threat, 2), multiple social identities, 3), female control, and 4), male control. They completed an Implicit Association Test and a gaming task. The number of coins collected in a 5-min time period provided a measure of gameplay performance. Results indicated that stereotype threatened females underperformed on the gaming task relative to males in the control condition. The intervention of multiple social identities successfully protected females' gameplay performance from stereotype threat. Additionally, differences were found between conditions in implicit attitudes pertaining to gender-gaming competence. This research highlights the harmful effects of negative stereotypes on females' gaming performance, and suggests that these decrements may be eliminated when females identify with an alternative positive social identity

Violent video games in virtual reality : re-evaluating the impact and rating of interactive experiences

Bespoke Virtual Reality (VR) laboratory experiences can be differently affecting than traditional display experiences. With the proliferation of at-home VR headsets, these effects need to be explored in consumer media, to ensure the public are adequately informed. As yet, the organizations responsible for content descrip-tions and age-based ratings of consumer content do not rate VR games differently to those played on TV. This could lead to experiences that are more intense or subconsciously affecting than desired. To test whether VR and non-VR games are differently affecting, and so whether game ratings are appropriate, our research examined how participant (n=16) experience differed when playing the violent horror video game “Resident Evil 7”, viewed from a first-person perspective in PlayStation VR and on a 40” TV. The two formats led to meaningfully different experiences, suggesting that current game ratings may be unsuitable for capturing and conveying VR experiences

What role can videogames play in the COVID-19 pandemic?

Video games are often thought of as trite activities for younger generations. However, research in game studies over the last few decades have revealed that games can be valuable tools for growth and connection, particularly among older generations. Exploring the ways digital games can be used as tools for connection has gained increased attention in recent months with global quarantines as a result of COVID-19. This article reviews the research that has examined the utility of digital games for older adults, focusing specifically on the ways in which games can be tools for social connectedness and psychological healing for older adults and intergenerationally. Special focus will be placed on the role games can play for post-traumatic stress among first responders

The treatment of Internet Gaming Disorder: a brief overview of the PIPATIC program

Over the last decade, there has been an increase in children and adolescents accessing psychology services regarding problematic use of online videogames. Consequently, providing effective treatment is essential. The present paper describes the design process of a manualized PIPATIC (Programa Individualizado Psicoterapéutico para la Adicción a las Tecnologías de la información y la comunicación) intervention program for 12- to 18-year-old adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder. The design and application of the PIPATIC program integrates several areas of intervention structured into six modules: psychoeducational, treatment as usual, intrapersonal, interpersonal, family intervention, and development of a new lifestyle. The program’s goals are to reduce the addiction symptoms related to online videogames and to improve the well-being of adolescents. Preliminary findings suggest positive and encouraging effects

Female gamers’ experience of online harassment and social support in online gaming: a qualitative study

Female gaming is a relatively under-researched area, and female gamers often report experiencing harassment whilst playing online. The present study explored female experiences of social support while playing online video games, because of the previous research suggesting that females often experience harassment and negative interactions during game play. Data were collected from an online discussion forum, and comprised posts drawn from 271 female gamers. Thematic analysis of the discussions suggested that a lack of social support and harassment frequently led to female gamers playing alone, playing anonymously, and moving groups regularly. The female gamers reported experiencing anxiety and loneliness due to this lack of social support, and for many, this was mirrored in their experiences of social support outside of gaming. The female gamers frequently accepted the incorporation into their gaming of specific coping strategies to mitigate online harassment, including actively hiding their identity and avoiding all forms of verbal communication with other players. These themes are discussed in relation to relevant research in the area, along with recommendations for future research and consideration of possible explanations for the themes observed