Bore Per, Andersson Mitchell, Nilsson Sara, Oehm Kajsa, Cervin Matti, Håkansson Anders, Claesdotter-Knutsson Emma
Section for Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Clinical Addiction Research Unit, Malmö Addiction Center, Malmö, Sweden.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 12;16:1629932. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1629932. eCollection 2025.
Gaming disorder has recently been recognized as a psychiatric condition, yet the clinical characteristics of treatment-seeking individuals remain understudied. This study examined youth and adults seeking treatment at a specialized outpatient clinic in southern Sweden.
A total of 107 individuals aged 12-49 years (M = 22.1, SD = 7.2) underwent comprehensive clinical interviews, psychosocial assessments, MINI diagnostic interview, and standardized self-report measures.
Most participants were male (94%), and 80% met diagnostic criteria for gaming disorder. The average age of symptom onset was 16.0 years (SD = 4.6), with a mean duration of 5.5 years (SD = 4.6). Weekly gaming time averaged 50 hours (SD = 12.0, range 0-126). Although participants reported low levels of gaming disorder symptoms (measured by GDT) and psychological distress (measured by CORE-OM and RCADS), but 69% showed significant functional impairments based on clinician ratings using GAF and CGAS. ADHD symptoms were uniquely positively associated with both gaming disorder severity (β=0.39, p < 0.001) and psychological distress (β=0.34, p < 0.001). Psychological distress also increased with age (β=0.38, p=0.002).
Although many received a clinical diagnosis, the sample reported low levels of gaming disorder symptoms. They reported relatively low psychological distress but demonstrated substantial functional impairment. This may reflect gaming's role as both an avoidance strategy and a way to meet psychological needs.
These findings suggest that impaired everyday functioning is a defining clinical feature of this group. Treatment should not only address gaming behavior but also support patients in improving functioning across important areas of life, such as school, work, and relationships.
游戏障碍最近被认定为一种精神疾病，但寻求治疗的个体的临床特征仍未得到充分研究。本研究对瑞典南部一家专门的门诊诊所中寻求治疗的青少年和成年人进行了调查。
共有107名年龄在12至49岁之间（M = 22.1，SD = 7.2）的个体接受了全面的临床访谈、心理社会评估、MINI诊断访谈以及标准化的自我报告测量。
大多数参与者为男性（94%），80%符合游戏障碍的诊断标准。症状开始的平均年龄为16.0岁（SD = 4.6），平均病程为5.5年（SD = 4.6）。每周游戏时间平均为50小时（SD = 12.0，范围为0至126小时）。尽管参与者报告的游戏障碍症状水平较低（通过GDT测量）以及心理困扰水平较低（通过CORE-OM和RCADS测量），但根据临床医生使用GAF和CGAS的评分，69%的人表现出明显的功能损害。注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）症状与游戏障碍严重程度（β = 0.39，p < 0.001）和心理困扰（β = 0.34，p < 0.00）均呈独特的正相关。心理困扰也随着年龄的增长而增加（β = 0.38，p = 0.002）。
尽管许多人获得了临床诊断，但该样本报告的游戏障碍症状水平较低。他们报告的心理困扰相对较低，但表现出严重的功能损害。这可能反映了游戏既是一种回避策略，也是满足心理需求的一种方式。
这些发现表明，日常功能受损是该群体的一个决定性临床特征。治疗不仅应解决游戏行为问题，还应支持患者改善生活中重要领域的功能，如学校、工作和人际关系。
