Definition
Before we define internet gaming addiction it is important to clarify the features of video games. According to Granic et al. (2014) when comparing with other media (e.g., television) video games imply an interaction. These videogames are developed “for players to actively engage with their systems and for these systems to, in turn, react to players’ agentive behaviors” (p.67).
Internet gaming addiction (IGA) has been defined by DSM 5 as “a pattern of excessive and prolonged Internet gaming that results in a cluster of cognitive and behavioral symptoms, including progressive loss of control over gaming, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms, analogous to the symptoms of substance use disorders” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 796).
More recently the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11; 2018) argued that gaming disorder:
“is characterised by a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour (‘digital gaming’ or ‘video-gaming’), which may be online (i.e., over the internet) or offline, manifested by: 1. impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context); 2. increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and 3. continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences. The pattern of gaming behaviour may be continuous or episodic and recurrent. The pattern of gaming behaviour results in marked distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The gaming behaviour and other features are normally evident over a period of at least 12 months in order for a diagnosis to be assigned, although the required duration may be shortened if all diagnostic requirements are met and symptoms are severe”.
Although gaming disorder may be online or offline, we will focus in this last one. According with a recent systematic review conducted by Paulus et al. (2018) we can find several terms and concepts for “describing the pathological use of computer technology: IGD, Internet addiction, technology-based addiction, pathological technology use, pathological video gaming, pathological Inter-net use, computer addiction, screen addiction, addictions to video games and online role-playing games, game overuse, video game addiction, smartphone addiction, cyber-relationship addiction, net compulsions, information overload, excessive, problem, dependent, pathological, and addicted gamers” (p. 646). However, and according with Gentile et al. (2017) IGD does not required that individuals exhibit symptoms of addiction solely with online video games, it can occur in both. Problematic use can occur in both offline and online settings. Another problematic use of digital gaming is the Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) dependency, impulse by the networked online game. This kind of game seems to be more attractive video games when compared with others king of online games (Billieux et al., 2015).
Although the distinction of game addiction from Internet addiction, the results from a meta-analysis conducted by Koo and Jung-Hye (2014) suggest psychological factors may be similar for both game addiction and Internet addiction. For classifying IGD, Paulus et al. (2018) suggest that the “the recommendation is to differentiate between high engagement, addiction, gaming enthusiasm, and problems related to excessive gaming” (p. 647).