Measuring Internet Gaming Disorder and Gaming Disorder: Qualitative Content Validity Analysis of Validated Scales

Abstract

Numerous instruments have been developed for measuring gaming-related health problems based on “internet gaming disorder” (IGD) in the third section of the DSM-5 (2013) and “gaming disorder” (GD) in the ICD-11 (2019). However, the criteria in the manuals tend to be operationalized in numerous diverse ways, which can make screening outcomes incomparable. A content validity analysis is needed to reassess the relationships between diagnostic criteria and the items that operationalize them. The IGD and GD criteria were divided into sematic components. A qualitative content validity analysis was carried out for all items employed by the 17 instruments that claim to measure either construct by their criteria in English. In all but one instrument, operationalizations did not include all criterion components. We found two main reasons for this: components had simply been left out, or alternatively modified into other components that were not included as official criteria. Criteria that were vaguely described in the manuals were sources of lower content validity items. The study implies that many of the problems in IGD and GD measurement derive from criteria operationalization and original manual descriptions. Our conclusions provide practical recommendations that researchers can apply to improve the content validity of their measurement.