Health Care Providers and Internet Gaming Disorder: Attitudes, Knowledge, and Clinical Readiness

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Clinical Practice
• Healthcare Provider Education

Background:

• Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is a growing global concern.
• Understanding healthcare providers' perspectives on IGD is crucial for effective management.
• Limited data exists on provider familiarity and confidence in diagnosing and managing IGD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess healthcare providers' beliefs regarding IGD.
• To evaluate provider familiarity with IGD diagnostic criteria.
• To determine provider confidence in diagnosing and managing IGD and identify training needs.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to internal medicine and psychiatry providers.
• The survey collected data on IGD-related beliefs, diagnostic familiarity, confidence, and training needs.
• Data was gathered from providers at a large academic medical center in 2025.

Main Results:

• Most providers (84%) view IGD as significant, often linked to comorbidities (87%).
• Fewer than half are confident diagnosing (44%) or managing IGD (29%), with only 37% familiar with DSM criteria.
• Psychiatry providers showed higher confidence and familiarity than internal medicine providers; 81% desired more education.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in provider confidence and knowledge regarding IGD diagnosis and management, especially outside psychiatry.
• Internal medicine providers require more training in identifying and managing IGD.
• Targeted educational initiatives are essential to enhance clinical management of IGD across all medical specialties.