Construction and stability of web gaming dysfunction from childhood to late adolescence: A 5-wave beginning cohort research

Background and goals:

The pure course and longer-term stability of web gaming dysfunction (IGD) and its signs are largely unknown, but such data is crucial to help prevention, therapy and coverage growth. This research due to this fact examined 4 elements of IGD symptom stability: of type, on the group degree, rank-order and of within-person modifications.

Design:

Birth-cohort research.

Setting:

Trondheim, Norway.

Participants:

A stratified pattern (n = 812, 50.9% women) of the 2003/2004 beginning cohorts was examined biennially over 5 waves from age 10 to 18 (n = 3236 observations).

Measurements:

IGD was assessed by means of a semi-structured medical interview. Latent progress curves had been employed to evaluate the steadiness of signs on the group degree, and random intercept cross-lagged fashions had been used to find out how modifications in signs predicted subsequent modifications in signs on the within-person degree.

Findings:

IGD signs loaded on two elements, termed ‘Heavy involvement’ and ‘Negative penalties,’ persistently throughout ages and intercourse. Strong measurement invariance was partly achieved throughout ages. The level prevalence of IGD analysis different between 1.1%-2.2%, and 5.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.0-7.3) had an IGD diagnosis at least once across ages 10-18 (boys: 10.2%, CI = 6.9-13.5; girls: 1.6%, CI = 0.5-2.7). Symptoms capturing Heavy involvement increased slightly from age 10-16 and then declined sharply at age 18, whereas symptoms representing Negative consequences remained stable. Regarding stability relative to the group, moderate two-year stability was observed (Heavy involvement r = 0.33 to 0.56, P < 0.001; Negative consequences r = 0.19, P < 0.01 to 0.37, P < 0.001) with increasing stability with age. The stability from age 10-16 and 10-18 was weak for Heavy involvement (r = 0.14 and 0.17, P < 0.05) and absent for Negative consequences (r = 0.09 to 0.11, P > 0.05). Increases in Heavy involvement predicted further increases in Heavy involvement two years later (β = 0.17, P < 0.01 to 0.39, P < 0.001) and increased Negative consequences at ages 14 and 18 (β = 0.29 and 0.28, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Although the point prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) diagnosis in the 2003/2004 birth cohorts of Trondheim, Norway, was low, 10% of boys fulfilled the criteria for a diagnosis at least once during preadolescence and adolescence. IGD symptoms at age 10 were only weakly related to IGD symptoms in mid- and late adolescence. However, as Heavy involvement symptoms predicted later increases in Negative consequences symptoms from age 12 onwards, early adolescence may offer a window of opportunity for when interventions might intersect a development toward a full-blown IGD diagnosis before symptoms become more intertwined with additional problems and resistant to change.