A Study to assess the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) among Adolescent Students of Kashmir

Background: Gaming is a legitimate leisure activity worldwide; however, there are emerging concerns that vast numbers of gamers are becoming addicted. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) classifies Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a condition warranting more clinical research ahead of formalising it as a mental disorder. Proposed as a behavioural addiction, Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) shares many similarities in both physical and psychological manifestations with substance use disorder, including cerebral changes on functional magnetic resonance imaging. Among the gaming population, adolescents demonstrate far more addictive internet gaming use in terms of screen hours, craving, and negative impacts on health, which have, in isolated incidents, also caused death. Worldwide addiction to gamers among adolescents is becoming a serious concern. This study was conducted to assess the occurrence of IGD among adolescent students in a selected Higher secondary school of Kashmir. Methodology: Quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional research design study was conducted among adolescent students of a selected higher secondary school. 220 students were included in the study by non-probability convenience sampling technique. English version of IGD-20 test was used to assess the problem. Statistical analysis used descriptive statistics that were represented with frequencies and percentages. P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results and Conclusion: An overall occurrence of IGD was 15.7% among adolescent students and it was higher among male students than female students, which was found statistically significant with a p value of < 0.049.