TOPLINE:

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 96 studies found that the pooled prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) among young adults (ages, 18-35 years) was 6.1% overall, with significantly higher rates in dedicated gamers (8.1%) than in mixed samples of gamers and non-gamers (5.47%).

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 96 samples from 93 studies published between 2015 and 2025, including 149,601 participants aged 18-35 years (mean age, 23.53 years [SD, 6.28 years]; 51.22% women).
• Primary outcomes were to estimate the pooled prevalence of IGD (determined using generalised linear mixed models) and to investigate sources of heterogeneity.
• Secondary outcomes included examining the effects of diagnostic instruments, sample characteristics, and study quality on prevalence estimates.
• Researchers used the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data to assess the risk for bias.

TAKEAWAY:

• The pooled prevalence of IGD was significantly higher in gamer-only samples at 8.1% (95% CI, 5.91%-11.01%) compared with 5.47% in mixed samples (95% CI, 4.33%-6.90%; P = .049).
• Studies that used the IGD Scale or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria showed higher pooled prevalence rates than studies that used the Ten-Item IGD Test (P = .002).
• Larger sample sizes were significantly associated with lower prevalence estimates in both global (P = .004) and mixed (P = .009) samples, with a trend toward lower rates in samples with a higher proportion of women (P = .056).
• Studies with a high risk for bias reported significantly higher prevalence estimates than those with a moderate (mean difference, 0.96; adjusted P = .001) or low (mean difference, 0.94; adjusted P = .012) risk.

IN PRACTICE:

"This meta-analysis provides an estimate of the prevalence of IGD among young adults. Traditionally, this developmental stage has not been the primary focus of studies related to gaming-related issues. This overall prevalence estimate highlights an emerging problem, emphasising the need for policies or strategies aimed at prevention, as well as public and mental health interventions tailored to this age group," the authors wrote. 

SOURCE:

The study was led by Júlia Gisbert-Pérez, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. It was published online on November 26 in Addictive Behaviors.

LIMITATIONS:

The search strategy may have missed relevant studies that reported participant ages only numerically. Prevalence estimates were based on diagnostic instruments rather than clinical interviews and therefore warranted cautious interpretation. A significant publication bias was detected using the Luis Furuya-Kanamori index, suggesting that studies with less significant results may not have been published. Substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies, although this was partially explained by moderator variables.

DISCLOSURES:

One author reported receiving a grant from the Ministry of Science, Education and Universities (Spain), with no other specific funding for this study. All authors disclosed having no conflicts of interest. 

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.