Face validity evaluation of screening tools for gaming disorder: Scope, language, and overpathologizing issues

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Concerns exist regarding the misclassification of gaming disorder (GD), particularly false positives.
• The relevance and appropriateness of items in screening instruments are crucial for accurate GD assessment.
• Existing tools for diagnosing Internet gaming disorder (DSM-5) and Gaming disorder (ICD-11) require scrutiny.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the face validity of items within current gaming disorder screening tools.
• To identify potential issues in the scope, language, and interpretation of screening items for GD.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review identified 29 instruments for gaming disorder screening.
• A comprehensive item bank of 417 items was created.
• Three professional raters evaluated items based on addiction and GD measurement guidelines.

Main Results:

• Issues identified included scope creep, confusing language, and overpathologizing normal gaming.
• A significant number of items (71 across 23 tools) exhibited face validity problems.
• While 83% of items were valid, some items may pathologize typical gaming experiences.

Conclusions:

• Most items in GD screening tools demonstrate satisfactory face validity.
• Certain items may incorrectly pathologize common gaming behaviors such as mood alteration, desire to play, and immersion.
• Screening for problematic behaviors within recreational activities presents inherent challenges.