From classrooms to controllers: how school closures shaped children's video gaming habits

This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19-related school closures on screen time and video gaming habits among governmental school students in Qatar and explore the prevalence of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) within this context. A cross-sectional approach was employed, spanning two months from June to August 2022. A random sample of students aged 8–15 years was drawn from the national electronic health record system of Qatar. Telephone interviews with parents were conducted to collect data. The Parental Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (PIGDS) was used for IGD assessment. Of 428 parents, 257 (60