Intervention Measures Targeting Internet Gaming Disorder

2nd National Addiction Medicine Symposium & Workshop 8 Jakarta, 

August 4th-6th 2017 Proceeding Book

Intervention Measures Targeting Internet Gaming Disorder

Prof. Susumu Higuchi

Addictive behavior while gaming is a central feature of so—called Internet addiction. Based on the accumulated evidence, the American Psychiatric Association included the diagnostic criteria of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in DSM-S. However, these were located in "Section III” - requiring further evidence before being officially included in the diagnostic system. The ICD system set by WHO has been principally used for clinical and research purposes and is of greater relevance in many parts of the world, including Japan. The current version of ICD-10 will be updated and released as ICD-11 next year. The latest draft version of ICD-11, disclosed in October 2016, included the definition of a new disorder, Gaming Disorder (GD), predominantly divided into on-line or off-line subcategories. The inclusion of this disorder has been achieved through collaborative efforts between WHO and a group researchers in the field of behavioral addiction beginning in 2014. 

IGD or GD is commonly observed and associated with significant health and social consequences throughout the world. According to our recent review, the estimated prevalence of IGD ranges from 0.7% to 27.5%. The prevalence is higher among males than females in the vast majority of studies and has tended to be higher among younger rather than older people. 

Measures to combat IGD have been developed and, in some cases, implemented, although this work is still in the early stages. Measures have included: 

1) legislative provisions and enforcement;

2) public awareness campaigns and education, mainly in schools;

3) population screening and interventions;

4) early and/or targeted interventions; and

5) mental health services, including treatment of individuals with IGD.

My presentation will open with an overview of the global status of IGD, followed by a description of the various measures that have been used to tackle IGD, based on the available literature, including country reports submitted to WHO in 2016. It will also inform of current IGD treatment, particularly in Japan. 

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