When the World Health Organization officially decided to classify gaming disorder as a disease, they received a lot of confusion and backlash from the video game industry. To recap, according to the WHO, someone who suffers from gaming disorder will prioritize their desire to game over other parts of their lives, regardless of the potential consequences.

It’s safe to say that a lot of people aren’t too happy with the stigma that this disorder could create, but for those wondering if they might suffer from some of these symptoms, there’s now an easy way to find out.

Just one week after the World Health Organization shared that gaming disorder will be an addition to a future revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, psychology and sociology professors from the UK created a survey-based study. According to the official page, the study, entitled ‘Do I play too much videogames?’ “is to examine your gaming behavior alongside your psychological wellbeing.”

Participating in the study consists of engaging in a 20-minute questionnaire where participants will answer a variety of questions, including multiple choices, yes or no, true or false, and written answers. The test focuses on a person’s general information followed by their gaming activity, personal feelings, and how all of that relates to each other. Once the survey has been completed, there is an optional questionnaire focused on “your health and online behavior” that looks at a broader spectrum of social media and online usage.

Following the survey, participants will immediately receive feedback on the results of their answers. This includes a “gaming disorder scale” which pinpoints where each person falls in comparison to data from other participants. It also shares graphs and information relating to gaming motivations and personality type. While the results are very descriptive, a disclaimer reminds that “the self-report scale only provides you with tendencies towards Gaming Disorder in the context of your own usage and should not be seen as a final diagnosis.”

Participants must be at least 12 years old to take the survey, and if under 16 parental permission is required and must be agreed to before accessing the questionnaire. All study results are set to be compiled and later presented publicly once enough data has been collected; however, all participants and their identities remain anonymous.

Advertisement

According to the Entertainment Software Association, as of 2017, an estimated 65% of homes have at least one frequent gamer. For those that fall into this category, taking part in the study benefits the future of gaming in correlation to mental health and can give participants a detailed overview about where they land on the gaming disorder scale.