Abstract
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a new and controversial psychiatric diagnosis that has recently been acknowledged by both the DSM-V and ICD-11 diagnostic manuals. IGD currently is categorised by a pattern of persistent or recurrent video gaming behaviour which leads to significant impairment in family, social, personal, occupational or other important areas of life. As a new psychiatric disorder, the current conceptualisation of IGD requires further research. This thesis aims to understand the association between IGD and ASD and assess the validity of IGD criteria for those who engage with esports. Part one of this portfolio presents a scoping review of all the literature exploring IGD in those with ASD. The findings of the review suggest that those with higher ASD traits are more likely to meet DSM-V criteria for IGD. Part two presents an empirical paper that looked to validate the current conceptualisation of IGD for individuals engaged with esports. The findings supported the DSM-V conceptualisation of IGD within the esports community and identified a potential increased risk of IGD for nonprofessional esports players.