Öz

Objective: Internet gaming disorder is increasingly recognized as a clinically significant behavioral problem among children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of internet gaming disorder in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and to examine its associations with autistic traits, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom severity, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Materials and Methods: We established ADHD diagnoses based on DSM-5 criteria. Moreover, every participant had a diagnostic evaluation by a child and adolescent psychiatrist using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS-PL). This cross-sectional study included 101 children and adolescents aged 10–17 years who were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Autism spectrum disorder was excluded through clinical assessment. Autistic traits, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom severity, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and internet gaming disorder symptoms were assessed using validated rating scales. Participants were divided into low and high autistic trait groups according to the Social Responsiveness Scale cut off score.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of internet gaming disorder total scores (p=0.136). Internet gaming disorder severity was positively correlated with several anxiety and depressive symptom (r=0.465, p<0.001) domains and with hyperactivity symptoms (r=0.225, p=0.024). In the regression model, depressive symptoms were positively associated with internet gaming disorder severity (β=0.316, p=0.025), whereas generalized anxiety symptoms were negatively associated with internet gaming disorder severity (β=−0.380, p=0.014).

Conclusion: Although autistic traits were not independently associated with internet gaming disorder severity, depressive symptoms and hyperactivity appeared to be more closely related to problematic gaming behavior. These findings suggest that emotional symptoms and core attention deficit hyperactivity disorder features should be considered together when evaluating internet gaming disorder risk in this population.

Kaynakça

  1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Published online May 22, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
  2. Zhou R, Morita N, Ogai Y, et al. Meta-Analysis of Internet Gaming Disorder Prevalence: Assessing the Impacts of DSM-5 and ICD-11 Diagnostic Criteria. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024;21(6):700. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060700
  3. Fatséas M, Hurmic H, Serre F, et al. Addiction severity pattern associated with adult and childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in patients with addictions. Psychiatry Res. 2016;246(2):656-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.10.071
  4. Wilens TE, Martelon M, Joshi G, et al. Does ADHD Predict Substance-Use Disorders? A 10-Year Follow-up Study of Young Adults With ADHD. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011;50(6):543-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2011.01.021
  5. Park JH, Lee YS, Sohn JH, Han DH. Effectiveness of atomoxetine and methylphenidate for problematic online gaming in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental. 2016;31(6):427-42. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2559
  6. Sofia V, Cecilia Å, Charlotta H, Kent.W. N. Associations between problematic gaming and psychiatric symptoms among adolescents in two samples. Addictive Behaviors. 2016;61(2):8-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.05.001
  7. Concerto C, Rodolico A, Avanzato C, et al. Autistic Traits and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Predict the Severity of Internet Gaming Disorder in an Italian Adult Population. Brain Sciences 2021;11(6):774. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11060774
  8. Chen C, Dai S, Shi L, Shen Y, Ou J. Associations between attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and internet gaming disorder symptoms mediated by depressive symptoms and hopelessness among college students. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2021;17:2775-82. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S325323
  9. Coutelle R, Weiner L, Paasche C, et al. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Video Games: Restricted Interests or Addiction? International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 2021;20(4):2243-64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00511-4
  10. Murray A, Koronczai B, Király O, et al. Autism, Problematic Internet Use and Gaming Disorder: A Systematic Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2021;9(1):120-40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-021-00243-0
  11. Dell’Osso L, Amatori G, Muti D, et al. Autism Spectrum, Hikikomori Syndrome and Internet Gaming Disorder: Is There a Link? Brain Sciences 2023;13(7):1116. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13071116
  12. Tateno M, Tateno Y, Shirasaka T, et al. Depression, Gaming Disorder, and Internet Addiction in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Behavioral Sciences 2025;15(4):423. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15040423
  13. Constantino JN, Todd RD. Autistic Traits in the General Population: A Twin Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60(5):524-30. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.60.5.524
  14. Brown AJ, Casey BM. Subclinical ADHD-Symptoms Are Associated with Executive-Functioning and Externalizing Problems in College Students without ADHD-Diagnoses. J Educ Develop Psychol. 2016;6(1):204. https://doi.org/10.5539/jedp.v6n1p204
  15. Lundström S, Chang Z, Kerekes N, et al. Autistic-like traits and their association with mental health problems in two nationwide twin cohorts of children and adults. Psychol Med. 2011;41(11):2423-33. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291711000377
  16. Dullur P, Krishnan V, Diaz AM. A systematic review on the intersection of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and gaming disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2021;133:212-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.026
  17. Falcione K, Weber R. Psychopathology and Gaming Disorder in Adolescents. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(7): e2528532. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.28532
  18. De Pasquale C, Sciacca F, Martinelli V, Chiappedi M, Dinaro C, Hichy Z. Relationship of Internet Gaming Disorder with Psychopathology and Social Adaptation in Italian Young Adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(21):1-8. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218201
  19. Constantino JN, Davis SA, Todd RD, et al. Validation of a brief quantitative measure of autistic traits: Comparison of the social responsiveness scale with the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. J Autism Dev Disord. 2003;33(4):427-33. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025014929212
  20. Unal S, Guler A, Dedeoglu C, Yazgan Y. Social Responsiveness in Clinical Populations with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis: Comparison with Control Group from School Samples. 19th National Congress on Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Disorders, Hatay, Turkey, April 2009.
  21. Keith Conners C, Sitarenios G, Parker JDA, Epstein JN. The revised Conners’ Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-R): Factor structure, reliability, and criterion validity. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1998;26(4):257-68. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022602400621
  22. Kaner S, Büyüköztürk Ş, Işerı E. Conners Anababa Dereceleme Ölçeği-Yenilenmiş Kısa: Türkiye Stardardizasyon Çalışması. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2013;50:100-9. https://doi.org/10.4274/Npa.y
  23. Pontes HM, Griffiths MD. Measuring DSM-5 internet gaming disorder: Development and validation of a short psychometric scale. Comput Human Behav. 2015;45(2):137-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.006
  24. Arıcak OT, Dinç M, Yay M, Griffiths MD. İnternet Oyun Oynama Bozukluğu Ölçeği Kısa Formu’nun (İOOBÖ9-KF) Türkçeye uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions. 2018;5(4):615-36. https://doi.org/10.15805/addicta.2018.5.4.0027
  25. Chorpita BF, Yim L, Moffitt C, Umemoto LA, Francis SE. Assessment of symptoms of DSM-IV anxiety and depression in children: A revised child anxiety and depression scale. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2000;38(8):835-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(99)00130-8
  26. Gormez V, Kılınçaslan A, Orengul AC, et al. Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale - Child Version in a clinical sample. Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2017;27(1):84-92. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750573.2017.1297494
  27. Kaufman J, Birmaher B, Brent D, et al. Schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia for school-age children-present and lifetime version (K-SADS-PL): Initial reliability and validity data. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997;36(7):980-8. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199707000-00021
  28. Gökler B, Ünal F, Pehlivantürk B, Kültür EÇ, Akdemir D, Taner Y. Reliability and Validity of Schedule For Affective Disorders and Schizophrenîa For School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version-Turkish Version (K-Sads-Pl-T). Turk J Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2004;11(3):109-16.
  29. Turan S, Çıray RO, Tunçtürk M, et al. Social Information Processing and Executive Functions in Male Children and Adolescents with Internet Gaming Disorder. Child Psychiatry & Human Development 2022;55(4):1063-72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01468-8
  30. Berloffa S, Salvati A, D’acunto G, et al. Internet Gaming Disorder in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children. 2022;9(3):428. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030428
  31. Posner J, Polanczyk GV, Sonuga-Barke E. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Lancet. 2020;395(10222):450-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)33004-1
  32. Paulus FW, Ohmann S, von Gontard A, Popow C. Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2018;60(7):645-59. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.13754
  33. Cabelguen C, Rocher B, Leboucher J, et al. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and gaming disorder: Frequency and associated factors in a clinical sample of patients with Gaming Disorder. J Behav Addict. 2021;10(4):1061-7. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2021.00074
  34. Wong HY, Mo HY, Potenza MN, et al. Relationships between Severity of Internet Gaming Disorder, Severity of Problematic Social Media Use, Sleep Quality and Psychological Distress. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2020;17(6):1879. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17061879
  35. González-Bueso V, Santamaría JJ, Fernández D, Merino L, Montero E, Ribas J. Association between Internet Gaming Disorder or Pathological Video-Game Use and Comorbid Psychopathology: A Comprehensive Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2018;15(4):668. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040668
  36. Ostinelli EG, Zangani C, Giordano B, et al. Depressive symptoms and depression in individuals with internet gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2021;284:136-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.014
  37. Kardefelt-Winther D. A conceptual and methodological critique of internet addiction research: Towards a model of compensatory internet use. Comput Human Behav. 2014;31(1):351-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.059
  38. Ye X, Fong TCT, Yip PSF. A cross-lagged panel network model on internet gaming disorder and depressive symptoms concerning preferences for game genres. J Affect Disord. 2025;375:27-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.01.006
  39. Yuan G, Elhai JD, Hall BJ. The influence of depressive symptoms and fear of missing out on severity of problematic smartphone use and Internet gaming disorder among Chinese young adults: A three-wave mediation model. Addictive Behaviors. 2021;112:106648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106648
  40. Sit HF, Chang CI, Yuan GF, et al. Symptoms of internet gaming disorder and depression in Chinese adolescents: A network analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2023;322:115097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115097

Telif hakkı ve lisans

Telif hakkı © 2026 Yazar(lar). Açık erişimli bu makale, orijinal çalışmaya uygun şekilde atıfta bulunulması koşuluyla, herhangi bir ortamda veya formatta sınırsız kullanım, dağıtım ve çoğaltmaya izin veren Creative Commons Atıf Lisansı (CC BY) altında dağıtılmıştır.

Nasıl atıf yapılır

1.
Eroğlu Doğan H, Ayvalık Baydur ÜG. Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The role of autistic traits and ADHD symptom severity. Turk J Pediatr Dis. 2026;Early View:1-8. https://doi.org/10.12956/TJPD.2026.1369