Gaming Disorder with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder Comorbidities: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Differences

Abstract

Problematic gaming is common among adolescents in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the differences in motivational and psychological factors linked to gaming disorder (GD) with either comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or social anxiety disorder (SAD). We evaluated 90 adolescents for clinical diagnosis of GD according to ICD-11 definition, and for ADHD and SAD using a semi-structured diagnostic interview. The clinician scored the GD symptom measure according to symptoms defined in the ICD-11. Adolescent self-report on problematic gaming was also obtained by using Internet GD Scale-9 item shot form (IGDS-9-SF). Additionally, we used validated instruments to investigate motivational and psychological correlates, including motivations to play online games questionnaire-12 (MPOGQ-12), Barratt impulsivity scale-11-short form (BIS-11-SF), regulation of emotions questionnaire, Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSE), self-efficacy questionnaire for children (SEQ-C), and social support appraisals scale. GD with comorbid ADHD was significantly positively correlated with achievement (r = 0.26, P = .01) and immersion (r = 0.25, P = .02) on MPOGQ, and total impulsivity score (r = 0.28, P = .01) on BIS-11-SF. Moreover, GD with comorbid ADHD was significantly negatively correlated with internal functional emotion regulation score on regulation of emotions questionnaire (r = -0.26, P = .01). On the other hand, GD with comorbid SAD was significantly positively correlated with immersion (r = 0.25, P = .02) on MPOGQ, and significantly negatively correlated with total self-esteem score (r = -0.24, P = .02) on RSE scale; academic self-efficacy (r = -0.23, P = .03), social self-efficacy (r = -0.29, P = .01) and emotional self-efficacy (r = -0.23, P = .03) scores on SEQ-C; and parent support score (r = -0.25, P = .02) on social support appraisals scale. Our findings exhibit motivational and psychological differences between ADHD and SAD comorbidities of GD among adolescents. Further studies are needed to explore distinct profiles.