The Department of Decoded Neurofeedback, Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Kyoto, Japan.
Health-improving Behavior Change Laboratory, Innovation Center, KDDI Research, Inc., Saitama, Japan.
J Psychiatr Res. 2021 Oct;142:218-225. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.07.054. Epub 2021 Aug 4.
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and problematic internet use (PIU) are becoming increasingly detrimental to modern society, with serious consequences for daily functioning. IGD and PIU may be exacerbated by lifestyle changes imposed by the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study investigated changes in IGD and PIU during the pandemic and risk factors for them. This study is a part of a larger online study of problematic smartphone use in Japan, originally planned in 2019, and expanded in August 2020 to include the impact of COVID-19. 51,246 adults completed an online survey during the pandemic (August 2020), in Japan. Of these, 3,938 had also completed the survey before the onset of the pandemic (December 2019) and were used as the study population to determine how the pandemic has influenced IGD and PIU. IGD was assessed using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS). PIU was measured using the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS). The prevalence of probable IGD during COVID-19 was 4.1% overall [95%CI, 3.9%-4.2%] (N = 51,246), and 8.6% among younger people (age < 30), 1-2.5% higher than reported before the pandemic. Probable PIU was 7.8% overall [95%CI, 7.6%-8.1%], and 17.0% [95%CI, 15.9%-18.2%] among younger people, 3.2-3.7% higher than reported before the pandemic. Comparisons before and during the pandemic, revealed that probable IGD prevalence has increased 1.6 times, and probable PIU prevalence by 1.5 times (IGD: χ= 619.9, p < .001, PIU: χ= 594.2, p < .001). Youth (age < 30) and COVID-19 infection were strongly associated with IGD exacerbation (odds ratio, 2.10 [95%CI, 1.18 to 3.75] and 5.67 [95%CI, 1.33 to 24.16]). Internet gaming disorder and problematic internet use appear to be aggravated by the pandemic. In particular, younger persons and people infected with COVID-19 are at higher risk for Internet Gaming Disorder. Prevention and treatment of these problems are needed.
互联网游戏障碍（IGD）和问题性互联网使用（PIU）对现代社会的危害越来越大，严重影响了人们的日常功能。由于 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行带来的生活方式改变，IGD 和 PIU 可能会加剧。本研究调查了大流行期间 IGD 和 PIU 的变化及其危险因素。本研究是对日本智能手机使用问题的一项更大的在线研究的一部分，该研究原计划于 2019 年进行，并于 2020 年 8 月扩展到包括 COVID-19 的影响。51246 名成年人在大流行期间（2020 年 8 月）在日本完成了在线调查。其中，3938 人在大流行之前（2019 年 12 月）也完成了调查，被用作研究人群，以确定大流行如何影响 IGD 和 PIU。IGD 使用互联网游戏障碍量表（IGDS）进行评估。PIU 使用强迫性互联网使用量表（CIUS）进行测量。大流行期间，总体上可能患有 IGD 的比例为 4.1%[95%CI，3.9%-4.2%]（N=51246），年轻人（<30 岁）为 8.6%，比大流行前报告的比例高 1.0-2.5%。总体上可能患有 PIU 的比例为 7.8%[95%CI，7.6%-8.1%]，年轻人为 17.0%[95%CI，15.9%-18.2%]，比大流行前报告的比例高 3.2-3.7%。与大流行前相比，大流行期间可能患有 IGD 的比例增加了 1.6 倍，可能患有 PIU 的比例增加了 1.5 倍（IGD：χ=619.9，p<.001，PIU：χ=594.2，p<.001）。年轻人（<30 岁）和 COVID-19 感染与 IGD 恶化密切相关（优势比，2.10[95%CI，1.18 至 3.75]和 5.67[95%CI，1.33 至 24.16]）。大流行似乎加剧了互联网游戏障碍和问题性互联网使用。特别是，年轻人和感染 COVID-19 的人患互联网游戏障碍的风险更高。需要预防和治疗这些问题。
