INTERNET GAMING DISORDER AND PROBLEMATIC INTERNET USE: THE LINKS BETWEEN CYBERBULLYING, AGGRESSION, LONELINESS AND PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITIES

AIMSTo compare adolescents clinically diagnosed with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and problematic internet use (PIU) in terms of cyberbullying, aggression, and loneliness.METHODSMale adolescent patients (N=124, 14.3±1.7 years) with Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) scores ≥50 were clinically interviewed for IGD in utilizing DSM-5 criteria. Patients without full IGD criteria were included as PIU comparisons. Clinical variables were assessed using the second version of the Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory, short-form of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Child Depression Inventory, and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders.RESULTSCompared to individuals with PIU, those with IGD were significantly more likely to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, higher social phobia scores, higher cyberbullying scores, higher loneliness scores, been a cyberbully, and been a cyberbully victim.CONCLUSIONMale adolescents with IGD have higher rates of psychiatric comorbidity, perceived loneliness, cyberbullying, and being a victim of cyberbullying than those with PIU. Future studies could evaluate these predictors of transition from PIU to IGD in large cohort samples.