Comorbid Conditions Symptom Tests

[Self-Test] Is My Child Showing Signs of Gaming Addiction?

Take this video game addiction test to see if your child or teen may be showing signs of gaming disorder.

By ADDitude Editors Verified Medically reviewed by Jeremy Edge, LPC, IGDC Reviewed on July 11, 2023
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Worried about your child’s gaming habits and behaviors?

Gaming addiction — known as “gaming disorder” and (conceptualized as) “internet gaming disorder” in the ICD-11 and the DSM-5, respectively — affects about 3% of people worldwide.1 Among people with ADHD, that percentage trends higher, according to research.2 3

Like other forms of addiction, gaming addiction can affect functioning in multiple areas of life, from academic performance to friendships to finances. Gaming addiction is treatable; help exists in the form of support groups, talk therapy, and treatment centers dedicated to problematic or disordered screen use.

If you are concerned about your child’s behaviors around gaming, answer the questions below and share the results with a licensed mental health professional.

This self-test was adapted from criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. It is designed to screen for the possibility of gaming disorder, and it is intended for personal use only. This test is not intended as a diagnostic tool.

My child often gets upset, anxious, irritable, sad, or angry when they are unable to play video games.

My child seems to need more and more gaming time, or more stimulating games, to get any satisfaction from the experience.

My child often skirts screen time limits and lies about how much time they actually spend playing video games.

My child often resorts to gaming to escape or relieve anxiety, guilt, and other negative feelings.

Video games dominate my child’s thoughts and life. When my child isn’t gaming, they are often thinking about the next time they’ll play and/or reliving past gaming experiences.

My child is often known to sleep late, skip meals, and neglect personal hygiene and other healthy behaviors due to gaming.

My child has lost interest in previous hobbies as a result of their gaming.

My child’s grades and educational prospects are on the line due to their gaming.

My child’s gaming behaviors have caused problems with family and friends.

My child often loses track of time when gaming, unaware that hours upon hours have passed.

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Gaming Addiction in Teens: Next Steps

View Article Sources

1 Stevens, M. W., Dorstyn, D., Delfabbro, P. H., & King, D. L. (2021). Global prevalence of gaming disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 55(6), 553–568. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867420962851

2 Berloffa, S., Salvati, A., D’Acunto, G., Fantozzi, P., Inguaggiato, E., Lenzi, F., Milone, A., Muratori, P., Pfanner, C., Ricci, F., Ruglioni, L., Tacchi, A., Tessa, C., Villafranca, A., & Masi, G. (2022). Internet Gaming Disorder in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 9(3), 428. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030428

3 Cabelguen, C., Rocher, B., Leboucher, J., Schreck, B., Challet-Bouju, G., Hardouin, J. B., & Grall-Bronnec, M. (2021). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and gaming disorder: Frequency and associated factors in a clinical sample of patients with Gaming Disorder. Journal of behavioral addictions, 10(4), 1061–1067. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2021.00074