In an era where digital entertainment has become nearly ubiquitous among younger generations, understanding the psychological impacts of video gaming has never been more essential. Recent research conducted by Rabiei, Sadeghi, Ranaei, and colleagues delves into the validation of a culturally adapted tool aimed at measuring video-game addiction among Farsi-speaking children. Their study, published in BMC Psychology in 2025, offers groundbreaking insights not only into the addictive potential of video games within this demographic but also explores the intertwined relationships between video-game addiction, social media addiction, internet addiction, and executive functioning abilities.
Video-game addiction has long been debated within psychological and neurological fields due to its complex nature and varying manifestations across individuals and cultures. The researchers recognized an acute need for reliable assessment instruments tailored to specific linguistic and cultural contexts, as most prevailing scales have been developed primarily within Western populations. By translating and validating the video-game addiction scale for children into Farsi, the authors forged an essential tool to better gauge and understand gaming behaviors among Iranian youth, whose digital landscapes may differ socioculturally from their global counterparts.
The process of scale validation is notoriously intricate, requiring careful translation, back-translation, pilot testing, and psychometric analysis. Rabiei and colleagues undertook this rigorous path to ensure the Farsi version retained semantic equivalence while maintaining reliability and validity. This methodical approach enables mental health professionals, educators, and researchers in Iranian and related Farsi-speaking communities to accurately screen for problematic gaming behaviors that may otherwise remain undetected due to lack of culturally sensitive tools.
Importantly, the study does not view video-game addiction in isolation. It highlights the multifaceted digital lifestyle of contemporary children, where engagement with electronic media extends beyond gaming into social media platforms and general internet use. By analyzing the correlations among video-game addiction, social media addiction, and broader internet addiction, the researchers provide a more holistic perspective on digital dependencies. This paradigm acknowledges the potential for overlapping behavioral patterns and shared underlying psychological vulnerabilities.
One of the study’s most innovative aspects involves exploring the relationship between these addictive behaviors and executive functions—the cognitive processes responsible for planning, attention, problem-solving, and impulse control. Executive dysfunction has been implicated in various addictive behaviors, suggesting that impairments in self-regulation may predispose individuals to compulsive digital consumption. Rabiei et al.’s findings build on this growing literature by demonstrating significant associations between video-game addiction and executive functioning deficits among Farsi-speaking children, raising crucial questions about causality and potential intervention targets.
Executive functions are a collection of high-order cognitive skills primarily managed by the prefrontal cortex of the brain. These skills enable goal-directed behavior, flexibility in thinking, and the moderation of social behaviors. When these functions are compromised, children may struggle to regulate emotions, resist temptations, maintain attention, or switch between tasks effectively—factors that can exacerbate addictive tendencies. The study’s data suggest that children exhibiting higher levels of video-game addiction also tend to show poorer executive control capabilities, underscoring a potential bidirectional influence.
Moreover, the link between social media addiction and executive dysfunction identified in this research further elucidates how the relentless barrage of digital stimuli can overwhelm the immature cognitive control systems of children. Social media platforms, designed to be inherently rewarding through likes, comments, and continuous updates, may tap into neural reward circuits, creating a feedback loop that challenges the developing executive capacities necessary for moderation. This synergy of digital behaviors paints a concerning portrait of the modern child’s neuropsychological vulnerability.
The researchers employed robust statistical analyses to dissect these complex relationships. Their use of confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that the Farsi video-game addiction scale operates reliably as a unidimensional instrument capturing a single underlying construct of addiction. Additionally, correlation analyses revealed significant positive relationships among video-game addiction scores, social media addiction, and general internet addiction, emphasizing the intertwined nature of these digital behaviors. Regression models further illuminated executive functions as a significant predictor of addiction severity, suggesting avenues for targeted cognitive interventions.
Given the explosive growth of internet availability and smartphone penetration in Iran and other Farsi-speaking regions, understanding digital addiction at a local level is increasingly critical. These communities face unique sociocultural dynamics, including parental monitoring styles, educational pressures, and social norms that influence digital consumption patterns. The validated Farsi scale provides an invaluable resource for large-scale epidemiological surveys and clinical assessments, enabling early identification and support for children at risk of developing debilitating addictive behaviors.
The study also carries important implications for educational and clinical practitioners. Mental health professionals can integrate this validated tool into routine screenings to discern gaming addiction symptoms, tailor cognitive-behavioral interventions, and monitor treatment progress. Educators may benefit from understanding how executive dysfunction relates to digital addiction, crafting curricula or school programs that enhance executive skills and promote healthier digital habits. Public health policymakers can leverage these insights to design culturally sensitive prevention campaigns aimed at children and families.
While the study marks a significant advance in addressing the need for culturally specific addiction scales, the authors prudently acknowledge limitations. The cross-sectional design precludes determination of causality—whether executive dysfunction predisposes children to addiction or results from excessive gaming remains an open question. Longitudinal studies are necessary to parse temporal sequences and causal pathways. Furthermore, reliance on self-report measures, despite their utility, introduces potential biases related to social desirability and inaccurate self-assessment in younger populations.
Nevertheless, the validation of the Farsi video-game addiction scale and its association with other digital addictions and executive functions open promising frontiers for future research. Expanding this work to explore neurological substrates through neuroimaging or electrophysiological methods could elucidate the biological basis of these associations. Additionally, intervention studies testing whether strengthening executive functions through cognitive training or mindfulness can mitigate addictive behaviors are warranted and could inform evidence-based treatment strategies.
The integration of this culturally adapted assessment tool aligns with broader global trends emphasizing the need for localized understanding of behavioral addictions in an increasingly digital world. By situating this research within both cultural and neuropsychological contexts, Rabiei and colleagues contribute a nuanced and multi-layered perspective on how modern forms of digital engagement impact youth mental health. Their work reinforces the urgency of addressing video-game addiction not merely as a behavioral issue but as part of a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon requiring multidisciplinary approaches.
As digital technologies continue to evolve and permeate every aspect of childhood and adolescence, forward-thinking research like this study provides an essential foundation for proactive identification, prevention, and intervention efforts. The validation of reliable, culturally relevant tools is a critical first step toward mitigating the adverse effects of digital addictions in vulnerable populations. With growing awareness and continued scientific inquiry, it is hoped that the negative impacts of video-game, social media, and internet addictions can be effectively managed, preserving the cognitive and emotional well-being of future generations.
By harnessing psychometric rigor and exploring the intricate interplay between technology use and executive cognitive functions, this research offers invaluable contributions to the science of behavioral addictions. It reminds us that the challenges posed by digital media are multifaceted and deeply embedded in individual cognitive capacities shaped by developmental and cultural factors. Consequently, addressing these challenges requires comprehensive strategies encompassing assessment, education, cognitive development, and mental health support.
Ultimately, this inquiry into the Farsi version of the video-game addiction scale represents a crucial advancement in culturally sensitive psychological measurement and enriches our understanding of digital addiction’s neuropsychological foundations. Its findings underscore the importance of executive function in moderating children’s engagement with technology, providing a vital link for future intervention development. As national and international efforts continue to grapple with the digital age’s psychological consequences, research such as this illuminates pathways toward healthier, balanced relationships between young minds and the virtual worlds they inhabit.
Subject of Research: Validation of the Farsi video-game addiction scale for children and its associations with social media addiction, internet addiction, and executive functions.
Article Title: Validation of the Farsi version of the video-game addiction scale for children: its associations with social media addiction, internet addiction and executive functions.
Article References:
Rabiei, N., Sadeghi, S., Ranaei, N. et al. Validation of the Farsi version of the video-game addiction scale for children: its associations with social media addiction, internet addiction and executive functions. BMC Psychol 13, 449 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02792-z
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