Psychometric Assessment of Internet Gaming Disorder in Neuroimaging Studies: A Systematic Review

Background: Little attention has been paid to research on Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) using neuroimaging techniques even though this type of research is of key importance for the formal recognition of IGD as an independent disorder. Aims: The aim of the present study was to conduct a systematic review of some of the methodological and assessment characteristics in neuroimaging studies that have been published from May 2013 to January 2016 and that have assessed IGD whilst also having used a neuroimaging technique to gather neurobiological evidence of this potential disorder. Methods: Systematic electronic searches using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were conducted on ProQuest (in the following scholarly databases: ProQuest Psychology Journals, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, and ERIC) and on MEDLINE to identify potential eligible studies. Results: A total of 853 studies were screened and after a careful systematic selection process, 14 studies were found to meet the inclusion criteria. Based on the findings, it was concluded that research on IGD using neuroimaging techniques is on the rise. Additionally, this systematic review offers ten practical recommendations to authors based on the methodological and assessment shortcomings of extant empirical studies on IGD using neuroimaging techniques. Conclusions: It is envisaged that the results of this study will help improve the overall quality of research on IGD using neuroimaging techniques.