Video Game Structural Features Are Related to Internet Gaming Disorder and Motivations of Play: Design and Validation of the Video Game Structure Scale (VGSS)

Abstract

Structural characteristics of video games influence the development of maladaptive behavioral patterns such as Internet gaming disorder (IGD). The aim of this study was to develop and validate a tool to evaluate users’ perceptions of video game structural features. The sample was composed of 502 gamers with an average age of 23.35 years (SD = 6.89). In total, 67.3% used a personal computer, 20.7% a desktop console, 11.4% a mobile platform, and 0.6% a portable console. Multiple exploratory factor analyses were conducted to identify the optimal model. Initial evidence of reliability, construct, and external validity was found (TLI and CFI > .90, RMSEA < .06, SRMR < .08). Structural features were categorized into three primary factors: social, control, and reward. After a multiple linear regression, structural features and gaming motivations explain 19% of the variance in IGD. In conclusion, the scale demonstrates solid psychometric properties for assessing how Spanish-speaking players perceive the structural characteristics of video games and how these relate to the development of IGD.