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As computer game playing is a popular activity among adolescents, a questionnaire study was undertaken with 387 adolescents (12-16 years of age) to establish their "dependence" using a scale adapted from the DSM-III-R criteria for pathological gambling. Analysis indicated that one in five adolescents were currently "dependent" upon computer games. Boys played significantly more regularly than girls and were more likely to be classified as "dependent." The earlier children began playing computer games it appeared the more likely they were to be playing at "dependent" levels. These and other results are discussed in relation to research on other gaming dependencies.
In 1989, Margaret Shotton published her pioneering study of psychological dependency on computer technology. Since then, the empirical research literature on technology-based addictions, particularly addiction to the Internet and online video games, has grown dramatically in both the Western and Eastern contexts. Expansion of this research area reflects a dramatic growth in the popularity of new interactive digital technologies, as well as mounting concern among health professionals that some vulnerable individuals may experience harm if these technologies are used excessively. It is therefore timely to reflect critically on several key research questions within the psychological field of video game addiction, as well as the broader question of whether contemporary anxieties about high levels of computer technology use are justified. In this paper, we provide an overview of recent innovations in video game addiction research and highlight the benefit of these contributions to the field. These innovations include: (i) changes in the conceptual definition of video game addiction, (ii) greater recognition of the diversity of the video game playing population and the psycho-structural characteristics of video games, (iii) various methodological advances and refinements, and (iv) a broader understanding of the psychosocial correlates of problem video game playing. Finally, we suggest a number of future research directions that may advance the current state of the knowledge in this area.
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
A Conceptual Review of Research on the Pathological Use of Computers, Video Games, and the Internet2012 •
Psychological science
Pathological video-game use among youth ages 8 to 18: a national study2009 •
Researchers have studied whether some youth are "addicted" to video games, but previous studies have been based on regional convenience samples. Using a national sample, this study gathered information about video-gaming habits and parental involvement in gaming, to determine the percentage of youth who meet clinical-style criteria for pathological gaming. A Harris poll surveyed a randomly selected sample of 1,178 American youth ages 8 to 18. About 8% of video-game players in this sample exhibited pathological patterns of play. Several indicators documented convergent and divergent validity of the results: Pathological gamers spent twice as much time playing as nonpathological gamers and received poorer grades in school; pathological gaming also showed comorbidity with attention problems. Pathological status significantly predicted poorer school performance even after controlling for sex, age, and weekly amount of video-game play. These results confirm that pathological ga...
2014 •
Research into problematic video gaming has increased greatly over the last decade and many screening instruments have been developed to identify such behaviour. This study re-examined the Problematic Videogame Playing [PVP] Scale. The objectives of the study were to (i) examine its psychometric properties in two European countries, (ii) estimate the prevalence of potential pathological gaming among adolescents in both countries, and (iii) assess the classification accuracy of the PVP Scale based on its symptomatology as a way of exploring its relationship with both the behavioural component model of addiction and the proposed Internet Gaming Disorder. The data were collected via a survey administered to 2,356 adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years from Spain (n=1,132) and Great Britain (n=1,224). Results indicated that the reliability of both versions was adequate, and the factorial and construct validity were good. Findings also showed that the prevalence of pathological gamers estimated with a rigorous cut-off point was 7.7% for Spanish and 14.6% for British adolescents. The scale showed adequate sensitivity, specificity and classification accuracy in both countries, and was able to differentiate between social and potential pathological gamers, and from their addictive symptomatology. The implications of these findings are discussed.
In the 2000s, online games became popular, while studies of Internet gaming addiction emerged, outlining the negative consequences of excessive gaming, its prevalence, and associated risk factors. The establishment of specialized treatment centers in SouthEast Asia, the US, and Europe reflects the growing need for professional help. It is argued that only by understanding the appeal of Internet gaming, its context, and neurobiologic correlates can the phenomenon of Internet gaming addiction be understood comprehensively. The aim of this review is to provide an insight into current perspectives on Internet gaming addiction using a holistic approach, taking into consideration the mass appeal of online games, the context of Internet gaming addiction, and associated neuroimaging findings, as well as the current diagnostic framework adopted by the American Psychiatric Association. The cited research indicates that the individual's context is a significant factor that marks the dividing line between excessive gaming and gaming addiction, and the game context can gain particular importance for players, depending on their life situation and gaming preferences. Moreover, the cultural context is significant because it embeds the gamer in a community with shared beliefs and practices, endowing their gaming with particular meaning. The cited neuroimaging studies indicate that Internet gaming addiction shares similarities with other addictions, including substance dependence, at the molecular, neurocircuitry, and behavioral levels. The findings provide support for the current perspective of understanding Internet gaming addiction from a disease framework. The benefits of an Internet gaming addiction diagnosis include reliability across research, destigmatization of individuals, development of efficacious treatments, and the creation of an incentive for public health care and insurance providers. The holistic approach adopted here not only highlights empirical research that evidences neurobiologic correlates of Internet gaming addiction and the establishment of a preliminary diagnosis, but also emphasizes the necessity of an indepth understanding of the meaning, context, and practices associated with gaming.
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Education and Information Technologies
Internet addiction among college students: Some causes and effects2009 •
Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore
Pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth2010 •
Addiction Research & Theory
Development of the game addiction inventory for adults (GAIA)2013 •
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
Video Game Genre as a Predictor of Problem Use2012 •
Computers in Human Behavior
An exploratory study of the association between online gaming addiction and enjoyment motivations for playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games2015 •
Addiction Research & …
Online gaming addiction: Classification, prediction and associated risk factors2011 •
International Journal of Games-Based Learning, 1, (4), 20-36.
Social interactions in online gaming2011 •
2007 •
Proceedings of the International Conference on Management of Emergent Digital EcoSystems - MEDES '10
Online addiction2010 •
2012 •
Computers in Human Behavior
An exploratory study of the association between online gaming addiction and enjoyment motivations for playing massively multiplayer online role-playing games [pre-print]2015 •
2012 •
2014 •