DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms Checklist (DISCA)

Abstract

The DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms Checklist (DISCA), developed by Yang et al. (2023), serves as an original, self-report instrument designed specifically for the identification of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) symptoms in Chinese adolescents. The development of this nine-item checklist was rigorously based upon the nine diagnostic criteria for IGD provisionally outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5th Edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Each criterion was meticulously adapted into a self-report item suitable for young adolescents.

The scale underwent translation from English to Chinese via a standard forward-backward translation protocol. The subsequent psychometric evaluation was conducted utilizing data collected from secondary school students in China who reported engagement in Internet gaming within the preceding 12 months. Results from Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported a robust unidimensional structure for the instrument. The study provided comprehensive data on test reliability, validity, and measurement invariance, though the authors noted a limitation inherent in the cross-sectional design, which prevented the assessment of predictive validity.

Keywords

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), Adolescents, DSM-5, Psychological Assessment, Symptoms Checklist, Psychometrics, Addiction.

Authors

Yang, Xue, Jiang, Xuewen, Wu, Anise M. S., Ma, Le, Cai, Yong, Wong, Kei Man, Lau, Joseph T. F.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the DISCA is to serve as a screening and assessment tool to accurately detect the presence and severity of Internet Gaming Disorder symptoms in the specific demographic of Chinese adolescents (aged 13–17 years).

By translating the formal diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5 into a simple, self-report format, the DISCA allows researchers and clinicians to quantify the extent to which young individuals meet the criteria for problematic gaming behavior.

Construct

The psychological construct measured by the DISCA is Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), defined by the nine criteria outlined in Section III of the DSM-5. IGD is conceptualized as a persistent and recurrent use of the Internet to engage in games, often with other players, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.

The nine symptoms addressed by the DISCA cover key addictive components, including preoccupation with gaming, withdrawal symptoms when gaming is curtailed, tolerance (needing to spend increasing amounts of time gaming), loss of control, continuation despite psychosocial problems, deception, loss of interests, use of gaming to escape negative moods, and jeopardizing or losing significant relationships or opportunities due to gaming.

Validity

The validity of the DISCA was examined through various analyses, demonstrating its capability to measure the intended construct and correlate meaningfully with related variables.

• Criterion Validity: The DISCA score showed a significant association with clinical indicators of problematic behavior. Specifically, the score was significantly associated with self-identified IGD (t = 4.36, p < 0.001) and lower perceived self-control regarding Internet gaming behavior (t = 3.26, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the DISCA score exhibited a significant positive correlation with the time spent playing Internet games (r = 0.34, p < 0.01).

• Convergent Validity: Evidence for convergent validity was established through correlations with related mental health issues. The DISCA score was significantly and positively correlated with symptoms of depression (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) and suicidal ideation (r = 0.21, p < 0.01). However, the average variance extracted (AVE) was reported as 0.30, which indicates potential limitations regarding the amount of variance captured by the construct relative to measurement error.

Reliability

The reliability assessment confirmed the scale’s consistency across internal items and over time, supporting its use as a stable psychological measure.

• Internal Consistency: The measure demonstrated acceptable internal consistency for screening purposes. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was reported as 0.77. The composite reliability (CR), another measure of internal consistency often used in structural equation modeling, was found to be 0.79.

• Test-Retest Reliability: Stability over time was assessed using the intraclass correlation (ICC), which was reported as 0.71. This value suggests moderate to good stability of the scores when the instrument is administered multiple times to the same individuals.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis procedures were crucial in establishing the intended structure of the DISCA and confirming its applicability across different subgroups.

• Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): The hypothesized unidimensional structure of the DISCA, reflecting a single underlying IGD construct, was confirmed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The model fit indices were reported as satisfactory: χ2/df = 246.18/27, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.95, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.93, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.06, and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.03. These values generally indicate a good fit between the model and the observed data.

• Measurement Invariance: Testing for measurement invariance demonstrated that the scale performs consistently across key demographic groups. The unconstrained model based on gender showed satisfactory model fit (χ2/df = 297.67/54, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.04). Similarly, the unconstrained model tested across different cities also showed acceptable model fit (χ2/df = 361.46/72, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.05). This suggests the DISCA is a reliable instrument for comparing IGD symptoms across male and female adolescents, and across different geographical locations within China.

Instrument

Test Type: Original checklist measure

Format: A “Yes” or “No” dichotomous response format was used for the 9 items.

Language Available: Chinese, English.

Population Group: Human (Male and Female adolescents).

Age Group: Adolescence (13-17 years).

Population Details: The validation study was conducted in China, focusing on secondary school students who reported recent Internet gaming activity.

Test Methodology: The psychometric evaluation utilized a comprehensive methodology, including Test Validity, Criterion Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency (using Cronbach’s alpha and CR), Test-Retest Reliability (using ICC), Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Measurement Invariance.

Keywords

Psychological Scale, Internet Addiction, Criterion Validity, Reliability, Unidimensionality, Chinese Youth, Self-Report.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Jiang, Xuewen: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4900-9500

• Lau, Joseph T. F.: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2344-7107

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Yang, Xue: Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Medicine Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Health Behaviours Research

• Jiang, Xuewen: Peking University School of Public Health (Email: [email protected])

• Wu, Anise M. S.: University of Macau Department of Psychology

• Ma, Le: Xi’an Jiao Tong University Health Science Center School of Public Health (Email: [email protected])

• Cai, Yong: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Faculty of Medicine School of Public Health (Email: [email protected])

• Wong, Kei Man: Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Medicine Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Health Behaviours Research

• Lau, Joseph T. F.: Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Medicine Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Centre for Health Behaviours Research

Correspondence Address:

• Lau, Joseph T. F.: [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

References

Yang, X., Jiang, X., Wu, A. M. S., Ma, L., Cai, Y., Wong, K. M., & Lau, J. T. F. (2023). Validation of the Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms Checklist based on the fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders in Chinese adolescents. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 54(1), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01213-7

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Items of the DSM-5 Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms Checklist (DISCA)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

No data is Available. This is a 9-item measure.