Background and aims: DSM-5 includes Internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a condition for further study. While online and offline gaming may produce undesired negative effects on players, we know little about the nosology of IGD and its prevalence, especially in countries with emerging economies. Methods: A self-administered survey has been employed to estimate prevalence of DSM-5 IGD and study the structure and performance of an instrument in Spanish to measure DSM-5 IGD among 7,022 first-year students in 5 Mexican universities that participated in the University Project for Healthy Students (PUERTAS), part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. Results: The scale for IGD showed unidimensionality with factor loadings between 0.694 and 0.838 and a Cronbach's α = .816. Items derived from gaming and from substance disorders symptoms mixed together. We found a 12-month prevalence of IGD of 5.2% in the total sample; prevalence was different for males (10.2%) and females (1.2%), but similar for ages 18-19 years (5.0%) and age 20+ (5.8%) years. Among gamers, the prevalence was 8.6%. Students with IGD were more likely to report lifetime psychological or medical treatment [OR = 1.8 (1.4-2.4)] and any severe role impairment [OR = 2.4 (1.7-3.3)]. Adding any severe role impairment to the diagnostic criteria decreased the 12-month prevalence of IGD to 0.7%. Discussion and conclusions: Prevalence of DSM-5 IGD and the performance of diagnostic criteria in this Mexican sample were within the bounds of what is reported elsewhere. Importantly, about one in every seven students with IGD showed levels of impairment that would qualify them for treatment under DSM-5.
Background and Objectives
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is associated with health, social, and academic problems but whether these are consequences of the disorder rather than precursors or correlates is unclear. We aimed to evaluate whether IGD in the 1st year of university predicts health, academic and social problems 1 year later, controlling for baseline health, academic and social problems, demographics, and mental health symptoms.
Methods
In a prospective cohort study, 1741 university students completed both a baseline online survey in their 1st year and a follow‐up survey 1 year later. Log‐binomial models examined the strength of prospective associations between baseline predictor variables (IGD, baseline health, academic and social problems, sex, age, and mental health symptoms) and occurrence of health, academic and social problems at follow‐up.
Results
When extensively adjusted by the corresponding outcome at baseline, any mental disorder symptoms, sex, and age, baseline IGD was associated only with severe school impairment and poor social life (risk ratio [RR] = 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14–2.75, p = .011; RR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.07–1.38, p = .002, respectively).
Conclusions and Scientific Significance
University authorities and counselors should consider that incoming 1st‐year students that meet criteria for IGD are likely to have increased academic and social impairments during their 1st year for which they may want to intervene. This study adds to the existing literature by longitudinally examining a greater array of negative outcomes of IGD than previously documented.
El objetivo del artículo es recuperar la vivencia de la corporalidad en estudiantes de nivel medio superior y superior de instituciones privadas de inspiración cristiana. La investigación pretende elaborar una caracterización generacional de los jóvenes estudiantes de estas instituciones para orientar la oferta de formación integral en lo concerniente a la vivencia de la sexualidad y la afectividad, la dinámica del cuerpo, su manifestación y el cuidado de sí. A escala nacional, se aplicó una encuesta a 27,047 participantes de 65 planteles educativos. Los resultados indican que existe evidencia empírica de diferencias entre hombres, mujeres y quienes no declararon su género sobre sus cuerpos. Mediante el análisis de la información, se determinaron las diferencias entre grupos y niveles educativos sobre la satisfacción con sus cuerpos, consumo de sustancias, sexualidad y actividades deportivas, así como entre niveles educativos. De acuerdo con las situaciones de riesgo y vulnerabilidad identificadas, se propone la formalización de iniciativas desde lo curricular y la transversalidad de la educación escolarizada, más allá de acciones preventivas y remediales.
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