Prevalence and Risk Factors for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in a sample of 5,979 Italian Online Gamers

Background: The prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in the Italian population of gamers is unknown. Several risk factors, including time spent playing (TSP), are proposed as an epiphenomenon of emotional dysregulation. Methods: The study estimated the prevalence of IGD in at-risk Italian online gamers, and the interplay between alexithymia and other risk factors. 5,979 responders were surveyed. IGDS-SF9 estimated pathological gaming. TAS-20 measured Difficult in Identifying (DIF) and Describing Feelings (DDF), and Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT). Results: 43% of participants had pathological IGD scores. Male gender (OR=1.2, 95% C.I.=1, 1.5, p=0.019), TSP (OR=7.6, 95% C.I.=5.5, 10.6, p<0.001), DIF (OR=1.5, 95% C.I.=1.1, 2.1, p=0.003), boredom/loneliness feelings (OR=1.8, 95% C.I.=1.5, 2, p<0.001), recent negative events (OR=1.1, 95% C.I. = 1, 1.3, p=0.026), and a behavioral addiction (OR=2.1, 95% C.I.=1.2, 3.9, p=0.009) independently increased its risk. Conclusions: Almost one on two players joining online communities presented IGD. Some risk factors were crucial, including TSP, independently from emotional dysregulation.