Gaming

Question 1

history

Answer 1

• developed by a computer scientist in the 50s but wasn’t commercially marketed until the 70s
• the first successful video game commercially and by popularity was PONG
• the video gaming industry in Canada is $3B and in the world its $150B

Question 2

what were the demographics like in the past compared to now?

Answer 2

• past: males in their teens or early 20s were the most common video game players
• now: 56% are male while 44% are female
  Ages:
  26% under 18
  30% between 18-35
  17% between 36-49
  27% 50+

Question 3

is it recognized as being part of the DSM? where is it recognized?

Answer 3

• NOT recognized as part of the DSM as a diagnosable psychiatric condition but it was included in the “Condition for Further Study” list with possible diagnosing criteria
• recognized by WHO and ICD 11 that includes gaming disorder as a diagnosable mental health disorder

Question 4

what is the prevalence of this disorder?

Answer 4

• prevalence is from 1-5% of the general pop for gaming disorder and prevalence up to 10% of the general pop as problem gamers
• APA indicates that only 1% of the general pop would be considered to qualify for gaming disorder
• DSM doesn’t distinguish gaming disorder from problem gaming - rather it suggests there’s a severity that exists on a continuum like GUD and SUD

Question 5

finding for gaming disorder

Answer 5

• associated with increased dopaminergic activity in the VTA-NA pathway
• self-reported cravings increase with gaming disorder are shown slides related to gaming
• personality characteristics are very similar to GUD and SUD (higher neuroticism, and lower in extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness) - high in shyness and loneliness
• those with gaming disorder show an attentional bias

Question 6

treatment

Answer 6

• many similarities between GUD and SUD so uses things like MI, CBT, relapse prevention and mindfulness