Internet Gaming Disorder and its Associated Factors among School Adolescents of Budhanilkantha Municipality, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Thesis Report.

ABSTRACT: Internet gaming has been increasingly used games all over the world due to the fast growing access to internet and portable devices. WHO has identified internet gaming disorder as a mental health problem and included in ICD-11 in 2018. Internet gaming behaviors and factors associated has not been studied in Nepal. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of internet gaming disorder and its associated factors among school adolescents of Budhanilkantha Municipality of Kathmandu, Nepal. A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents studying in grade 11 and 12 in secondary schools of Budhanilkantha Municipality, Kathmandu. The two stage cluster random sampling method was used to collect data from 469 participants. A structured self administered questionnaire was used to collect the information. Data were entered through EpiData 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS 17. The prevalence of internet gaming disorder among school adolescents was 19.5% among gamers and 10.66% among total respondents. Demographic, family and school related factors studied were not found significantly associated with IGD. The risk of having internet gaming disorder was found four times higher among those who play online games (AOR=4.45, 95% CI=1.52-13.05). Similarly, risk of having IGD was almost three times (AOR=2.80, 95% CI=1.01-7.82) among gamer with anxiety and increase by four times among gamers with depression (AOR=4.28, 95% CI=1.42- 12.87). However, having stress was not significantly associated with IGD. Almost one fifth of gamers were found as addicted gamers. Playing online games and having anxiety and depression increase the risk of internet gaming disorder. There is an immense need for evidence based policy to prevent internet gaming disorder along with other psychosocial problems.