Attachment styles of adolescents with internet gaming disorder and thei̇r mothers

Introduction:"Internet gaming disorder" (IGD) has been included in the DSM-V under the title of "Conditions that require further research". IGD is defined as continuous internet gaming, withdrawal symptoms when internet games are not played, loss of tolerance and control and loss of function in school, work and human relations[1].According to attachment theory, insecure attachment causes the individual to feel that he or she is not cared for or loved. this negatively affects later psychosocial functioning. Studies in the literature suggest that insecure attachment predisposes to the development of anxiety disorders, eating disorders, aggression, behavioral disorders and İGD [2]. Objective:In our study, it was aimed to investigate sociodemographic data, internet usage habits, comorbidity rates, and attachment styles of adolescents with IGD and their mothers in the light of the literature. Materials and methods:Our study group consisted of 51 adolescent cases aged 12-18 years who were diagnosed with IGD according to DSM-V applied to the Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic between January and April 2021. The control group was formed with 51 age- and sex-matched healthy controls without IGD. Sociodemographic and clinical data forms prepared by the researchers were filled in to the groups. Accompanying psychopathologies were screened by using the "Interview Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Now and Lifetime Style (K-SADS)" and clinical interviews based on DSM-V. Young's Internet Addiction Scale, Internet Game Playing Disorder Scale, Relationship Scales Questionnaire Adolescent Form were given to the patient and control group. Their mothers were given the Relationship Scales Questionnaire Adult Form, and the SCL-90 psychiatric symptom screening scale. The data were analyzed with the SPSS 18.0 program. Results: It was observed that the participants had similar family characteristics, socioeconomic and sociocultural levels. Insecure attachment and comorbidity rates were found to be higher in the group with IGD and their mothers. It was found that adolescents with IGD had significantly higher daily average internet use time, purpose of using the internet, IGD scale and Young's Internet Addiction Scale scores. They had an insecure attachment style significantly more than the control group. In the group of adolescents with IGD, the average of the scores of the IGD scale was 89.68 ± 9.10, in the control group it was 24.92 ± 3.01. It was observed that in the YIAS (Young Internet Addiction Scale) 12 adolescents score (23.5%) were between 50-80, 39 adolescents (76.5%) scored 80 and above. Insecure attachment style and comorbidity rates were also significantly higher in mothers of adolescents with IGD. Additional disorders such as Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders (total), Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD), ADHDand Oppositional Defiant Disorder(ODD) were found to be significantly higher in adolescents with IOOD. Conclusion:In our study, attachment styles were examined in adolescents with IGD and their mothers. While insecure attachment style was seen at a higher rate in adolescents with IGD, secure attachment style was observed at a higher rate in the control group. The higher rate of insecure attachment in mothers of adolescents with insecure attachment made our findings compatible with the literature. These results confirm the hypothesis that we put forward in our study. However, more comprehensive longitudinal studies involving mothers and fathers are needed. Keywords:Internet Gaming Disorder, secure attachment, adolescent attachment style, mother attachment style