The identification of a small group of addicted heavy
online gamers supports future efforts to develop and validate
questionnaire scales aimed at measuring the phenomenon
of ‘online video game addiction’. It also
confirms the existence of the group through an alternative
approach, thereby confirming earlier results for the
subgroup of online gamers [1,3]. Additionally, it provides
a basis onwhich to establish empirically supported cut-off
points for scales aiming to measure online video game
addiction. Although an addicted group of gamers was
found, substantial caution should be exercised before the
creation of a new ‘disorder’, due to the modest impairment
and longitudinal persistence.