Development of a Short Symbol-Based Screening Instrument for Internet Gaming Disorder: The Inclusion of Videogame in the Self (IVS) Scale for Children and Adolescents

Accurate screening for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in children and adolescents remains a challenge in routine clinical settings. This study evaluated the psychometric properties and diagnostic utility of the Inclusion of Videogame in the Self (IVS) scale, a brief pictorial tool assessing the perceived fusion between self and video game. A clinical sample of 189 children and adolescents (M = 13.0 years, SD = 3.2) completed the IVS, IGD, and Social Media Disorder (SMD) measures. While the five-item scale showed a solid factor structure and reliability, diagnostic accuracy was limited. A single item assessing the “relationship” with the favourite game emerged as a strong screening proxy, correlating with IGD and minimally with SMD. A cut-off score of 3 or higher yielded 100% sensitivity and a 45% false-positive rate. The Single-Item IVS shows promise as a quick, developmentally appropriate screening tool to identify youth at risk for IGD, warranting further validation in broader samples. More generally, the IVS is the first attempt to conceptualise inclusion of self in an activity (the game) rather than in a group or other person. Note: To protect participant confidentiality, descriptive sociodemographic variables except age and gender were removed from the dataset.