The temporal stability of problematic gaming and gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Q1 Psychology

Addictive Behaviors Reports Pub Date : 2025-02-22 DOI:10.1016/j.abrep.2025.100592

An-Pyng Sun , Chih-Hsiang Ho , Daria J. Kuss , Chad L. Cross

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Classifying problematic gaming/gaming disorder as a formal psychiatric diagnosis requires data on its level of temporal stability: are the dysfunctional symptoms transient or can they persist in the absence of treatment? To evaluate this question, we conducted a literature review and meta-analysis to investigate temporal stability in problematic gaming/gaming disorder. We identified 50 relevant longitudinal studies on PubMed, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS. Our review and meta-analysis engaged on two types of temporal stability: categorical stability and dimensional stability. We used MetaXL to run the meta-analysis for categorical stability. Our meta-analysis revealed that overall, the categorical stability rate was approximately 34–38% for the 2-year follow-up studies and approximately 43–45% for the 1-year follow-up studies. This indicates that between 1/3 and 1/2 of the gamers who initially met the threshold for problematic gaming/gaming disorder continued to meet such a threshold at follow-ups. Our meta-analysis included predominantly adolescent groups, which should be noted when generalizing the obtained categorical stability rates. Our review results also showed that overall, the dimensional stability was positive and statistically significant, indicating moderate or high correlations between symptom severity at baseline and at follow-ups. Temporal stability can be a complex concept. Our results suggest that although the categorical stability of problematic gaming/gaming disorder is not as strong as some major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, it is similar to personality disorder and gambling disorder. Many complex factors may affect the temporal stability of problematic gaming/gaming disorder, possibly including severity of the disorder, whether the data is from clinical or nonclinical populations, and an individual’s age group or developmental stage. More methodologically rigorous longitudinal studies that address these issues are needed.

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来源期刊

Addictive Behaviors Reports Medicine-Psychiatry and Mental Health

CiteScore

6.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

71 days

期刊介绍： Addictive Behaviors Reports is an open-access and peer reviewed online-only journal offering an interdisciplinary forum for the publication of research in addictive behaviors. The journal accepts submissions that are scientifically sound on all forms of addictive behavior (alcohol, drugs, gambling, Internet, nicotine and technology) with a primary focus on behavioral and psychosocial research. The emphasis of the journal is primarily empirical. That is, sound experimental design combined with valid, reliable assessment and evaluation procedures are a requisite for acceptance. We are particularly interested in ''non-traditional'', innovative and empirically oriented research such as negative/null data papers, replication studies, case reports on novel treatments, and cross-cultural research. Studies that might encourage new lines of inquiry as well as scholarly commentaries on topical issues, systematic reviews, and mini reviews are also very much encouraged. We also welcome multimedia submissions that incorporate video or audio components to better display methodology or findings.