June 20, 2018 -- The World Health Organization is recognizing “gaming disorder” as a diagnosable condition.

But the organization’s decision to include the new term in the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which it released Monday, has sparked controversy among psychiatric experts who question whether there’s enough research to call it a true disorder.

According to the American Psychological Association, an estimated 160 million American adults play video games, but the percentage of people that could qualify for the disorder is extremely small. Players’ ages range from under 18 to over 50, and the male-to-female ratio is almost equal.

The WHO’s official definition of “gaming disorder” includes:

A pattern of behavior for at least 12 months in which gaming is out of control

The pattern of behavior must show an “increased priority given to gaming” to the point that gaming “takes precedence over other interests and daily activities.”

A “continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences,” or behavior that affects one’s relationships, education, or occupation. This could mean that a teenager may play video games instead of doing homework and end up failing a test.

Child and adolescent psychiatrist Victor Fornari, MD, sees many families who struggle to control the amount of time their children spend in front of a screen.

“A family usually has rules about TV time. Here, a child wouldn’t stop, despite the promise of negative consequences,” he says.

Fornari says aggressive games involving teamwork and killing enemies tend to be the most addictive for young people. He also says some games have become so popular that schools around the world are warning parents to monitor their child’s access to them.

Including gaming disorder in the ICD-11 could mean health insurance coverage for people seeking treatment.

“I think the ICD-11 category will give us a chance to learn how to identify and diagnose the disorder. Now that there’s an ICD-11 code, health care providers will be able to ask for reimbursement from health insurance companies,” Fornari says.