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Gaming disorder screening may overlook women who play to cope with stress

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Gaming disorder screening may overlook women who play to cope with stress

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Playing more and more, struggling to cut back, or continuing to game despite its negative impact on everyday life can all be signs of gaming disorder. But what about women who play video games and may be overlooked by conventional diagnostic tools?

A study by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) sheds light on why female gamers can remain under the radar and highlights the distinctive features of their gaming experiences. The study found that participants tended to favor immersive games over competitive ones and were less likely to identify with the traditional image of a gamer.

These findings, published in European Psychiatry, could help inform more tailored approaches to the prevention and treatment of gaming disorder.

Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 and included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), gaming disorder is estimated to affect around 3% of people who play video games. Yet despite growing awareness and the development of diagnostic tools, the criteria underpinning them have largely been shaped by men's experiences.

Women play video games too. What kinds of games do they play, and why? What impact does gaming have on their lives? These questions remain largely unexplored. Understanding women's gaming experiences is essential to identifying those at risk and developing prevention and support strategies that take everyone affected into account.

In a study, the team led by Sophia Achab—a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at UNIGE's Faculty of Medicine, deputy division head at the HUG's Addiction Service and director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Research and Training—sheds light on this little-explored area.


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