Scholars’ open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal

Concerns about problematic gaming behaviors deserve our full attention. However, we claim that it is far from clear that these problems can or should be attributed to a new disorder. The empirical basis for a Gaming Disorder proposal, such as in the new ICD-11, suffers from fundamental issues. Our m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of behavioral addictions 2017-09, Vol.6 (3), p.267-270
Main Authors: Aarseth, Espen, Bean, Anthony M, Boonen, Huub, Colder Carras, Michelle, Coulson, Mark, Das, Dimitri, Deluze, Jory, Dunkels, Elza, Edman, Johan, Ferguson, Christopher J, HAAGSMA, MARIA C, Helmersson Bergmark, Karin, Hussain, Zaheer, Jansz, Jeroen, Kardefelt-Winther, Daniel, Kutner, Lawrence, Markey, Patrick, Lundedal Nielsen, Rune Kristian, Prause, Nicole, Przybylski, Andrew K, Quandt, Thorsten, Schimmenti, Adriano, Starčević, Vladan, Stutman, Gabrielle, Van Looy, Jan, Van Rooij, Antonius J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior, Addictive - classification
Behavior, Addictive - diagnosis
Behaviorism
Debate
diagnosis
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
DSM-5
Games, Recreational
gaming disorder
Health and medicine and law
Humans
ICD-11
ICT Information and Communications Technologies
Identification and classification
Internet
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Mental disorders
moral panic
negative implications
Psychological aspects
Social Stigma
Substance abuse and addiction
Video Games
World Health Organization
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Summary:Concerns about problematic gaming behaviors deserve our full attention. However, we claim that it is far from clear that these problems can or should be attributed to a new disorder. The empirical basis for a Gaming Disorder proposal, such as in the new ICD-11, suffers from fundamental issues. Our main concerns are the low quality of the research base, the fact that the current operationalization leans too heavily on substance use and gambling criteria, and the lack of consensus on symptomatology and assessment of problematic gaming. The act of formalizing this disorder, even as a proposal, has negative medical, scientific, public-health, societal, and human rights fallout that should be considered. Of particular concern are moral panics around the harm of video gaming. They might result in premature application of diagnosis in the medical community and the treatment of abundant false-positive cases, especially for children and adolescents. Second, research will be locked into a confirmatory approach, rather than an exploration of the boundaries of normal versus pathological. Third, the healthy majority of gamers will be affected negatively. We expect that the premature inclusion of Gaming Disorder as a diagnosis in ICD-11 will cause significant stigma to the millions of children who play video games as a part of a normal, healthy life.
ISSN:2062-5871
2063-5303
2063-5303
DOI:10.1556/2006.5.2016.088