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Decreased Occupational Functioning and Increased Physical Health Complaints in Treatment Seekers with Internet-Related Disorders: Compared to Patients with Gambling Disorder
Abstract
Background: Internet-related disorders (IRDs) as a growing mental health issue will probably be included in the upcoming ICD-11. While research on psychological aspects has progressed, less data are available regarding the physical health status of patients. Thus, we provide new data on physical health complaints, prediagnosed illness, level of functioning, and work ability in a clinical sample. Methods: From consecutive treatment seekers, we included n = 286 patients with IRD, n = 95 subjects with excessive yet not disordered Internet use, and n = 106 patients with gambling disorder (GD). All 3 groups were compared regarding lifestyle habits, medical history, somatic complaints, sleep disturbances, level of functioning and work ability using standardized self-reports, and clinical ratings. Results: Patients with IRD differed from nonclinical controls by higher somatic complaints, a lower level of functioning, and a higher degree of impairment in social and occupational contexts. Only few differences were found between patients with IRD and GD. Conclusions: Compared to individuals with excessive, not addictive online behaviors, patients diagnosed with IRD displayed higher somatic symptoms, and more sleep problems. This implies that psychotherapeutic interventions should also consider physical and psychosomatic problems when treating patients. Among patients with IRD, significant social and occupational deficits were comparable to patients with GD. This emphasizes that IRD are causing severe impairment in relevant aspects of the patients’ lives.
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Studies that include the administration of diagnostic interview schedules to identify co-occurring conditions have reported that individuals diagnosed with gaming disorder experienced negative consequences in multiple life areas.
“Studies that include the administration of diagnostic interview schedules to identify co-occurring conditions have reported that individuals diagnosed with gaming disorder experienced negative consequences in multiple life areas 199,205-210 .”
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“20,56 It is known that the etiology of addiction in the context of illness has been hypothesized as a form of self-medication.”
Gaming disorder and the COVID-19 pandemic: Treatment demand and service delivery challenges
King, D. L., Achab, S., Higuchi, S., Bowden‐Jones, H., Müller, K. W., Billieux, J., Starčević, V., Saunders, J. B., Tam, P., & Delfabbro, P. (2022) · Journal of Behavioral Addictions · doi:10.1556/2006.2022.00011 · Cited by 32
Self-citationAnxiety/Depression and Internet Addiction: Directions, Antecedents, and Outcomes
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“Individuals with Internet addiction may also suffer more sleep problems due to their uncontrolled use of electronic devices, because the excessive use of Internet relevant devices can result in sleep procrastination and deficiency [107, 108].”
Person-centred interventions for problem gaming: a stepped care approach
Park, J. J., Wilkinson-Meyers, L., King, D. L., & Rodda, S. N. (2021) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10749-1 · Cited by 23
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Self-citationInternet Use, Internet Addiction, and Mental Health Among Adult Population: Bibliometric Analysis
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“These measurement inconsistencies add to problems identi ed with speci c criteria listed in the IGD classi cation, particularly the relatively low speci city of the tolerance and mood modi cation criteria (39).”
BackgroundMiddelgerelateerde en verslavingsstoornissen
van Veen, M., & Risselada, R. (2020) · Bohn Stafleu van Loghum eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-90-368-2524-5_16 · Cited by 2
Park, J. J., Wilkinson‐Meyers, L., King, D. L., & Rodda, S. N. (2020) · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-30827/v1 · Cited by 1
Internetbezogene Störungen: Wo kann Prävention ansetzen?
Müller, K. W., Schneider, K., & Wölfling, K. (2020) · Public Health Forum · doi:10.1515/pubhef-2020-0094
Self-citationGambling Disorders in Organ Transplant Recipients
Luchsinger, W., & Zimbrean, P. C. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-15052-4_23
Metadata
- Authors
- Müller, K. W., Beutel, M. E., & Wölfling, K.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
- Venue
- European Addiction Research
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG
- Published
- 2019
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 229-237
- ISSN
- 1022-6877 (ISSN-L)
- 1421-9891
- OpenAlex
- W2958755792
- Cited by
- 13
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 4.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Addiction Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- gambling addiction, occupational functioning, work ability, physical health complaints, somatic symptoms, sleep disorders, excessive internet use, psychosomatic disorders, social dysfunction, ICD-11
- MeSH terms
- Help-Seeking Behavior, Adolescent, Adult, Employment, Gambling, Health Status, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Behavior, Addictive, Internet, Young Adult
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