Comparing the Associations of Internet Addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder With Psychopathological Symptoms: Cross-Sectional Study of Three Independent Adolescent Samples

This study provides additional evidence that IGD and IA are distinct yet interrelated constructs, and further demonstrates that IA consistently exhibits stronger associations with the severity of psychopathological symptoms than IGD. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing compulsive and problematic online behaviors that extend beyond gaming, highlighting the need to refine diagnostic frameworks and prioritize targeted clinical interventions.