(Internet) Gaming Disorder inDSM-5 andICD-11: A Case of the Glass Half Empty or Half Full: (Internet) Le trouble du jeu dans leDSM-5 et la CIM-11: Un cas de verre a moitie vide et a moitie plein

Background: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5) included in 2013 Internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a condition for further study, and in 2018, the World Health Organization included gaming disorder (GD) as a mental disorder in theInternational Classification of Disease(ICD-11). We aim to compare disorders of gaming in both diagnostic systems using a sample of young adults in Mexico. Methods: Self-administered survey to estimate the prevalence ofDSM-5 IGD andICD-11 GD in 5 Mexican universities; 7,022 first-year students who participated in the University Project for Healthy Students, part of the World Health Organization World Mental Health International College Student Initiative. Cross-tabulation, logistic regression, and item response theory were used to inform on 12- month prevalence ofDSM-5 IGD andICD-11 GD, without and with impairment. Results: The 12-month prevalence ofDSM-5 IGD was 5.2% (95% CI, 4.7 to 5.8), almost twice as high as the prevalence using theICD-11 GD criteria (2.7%; 95% CI, 2.4 to 3.1), and while adding an impairment requirement diminishes both estimates, prevalence remains larger inDSM-5. We found thatDSM-5 cases detected and undetected byICD-11 criteria were similar in demographics, comorbid mental disorders, service use, and impairment variables with the exception that cases detected byICD-11 had a larger number of symptoms and were more likely to have probable drug dependence than undetectedDSM-5 cases. Conclusion: DSM-5 cases detected byICD-11 are mostly similar to cases undetected byICD-11. By usingICD-11 instead ofDSM-5, we may be leaving (similarly) affected people underserved. It is unlikely that purely epidemiological studies can solve this discrepancy and clinical validity studies maybe needed.