Current diagnostic procedures and interventions for Gaming Disorders: A Systematic Review

Despite the growth in the number of studies on Gaming Disorders (GD), assessing the characteristics of clinical subjects is still limited. Driven by the need to overcome this limitation, a broad systematic review is essential to cover the studies that have already assessed the clinical characteristics of individuals diagnosed with GD. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a broad cross-cultural picture of the current diagnostic procedures and interventions used for GDs in clinical practice. A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria, and data were synthesized in these categories: (1) the cultural background of the country where the research took place; (2) the instruments used to measure GD; (3) the diagnostic criteria for GD; (4) the diagnostic procedures used; and (5) the treatment protocol applied. Results of this systematic review suggest that in GD clinical practice, there is a great deal of heterogeneity in the choice of instruments, the diagnostic and intervention processes for GD. This systematic review indicates that a validation process of standard procedures in clinical populations with GD is necessary to create clear shared guidelines for practitioners.