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Addiction
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Background: Although considerable research suggests that health-risk factors vary as a function of video-game playing among young people, direct evidence of such linkages among adults is lacking.Purpose: The goal of this Study was to distinguish adult video-game players from nonplayers on the basis of personal and environmental factors. It was hypothesized that adults who play video games, compared to nonplayers, would evidence poorer perceptions of their health, greater reliance on Internet-facilitated social support, more extensive media use, and higher BMI. It was further hypothesized that different patterns of linkages between video-game playing and health-risk factors would emerge by gender.Methods: A cross-sectional, Internet-based survey was conducted in 2006 with a sample of adults from the Seattle-Tacoma area (n=562), examining health risks; media use behaviors and perceptions, including those related to video-game playing; and demographics. Statistical analyses conducted in 2008 to compare video-game players and nonplayers included bivariate descriptive statistics, stepwise discriminant analysis, and ANOVA.Results: A total of 45.1% of respondents reported playing video games. Female video-game players reported greater depression (M=1.57) and poorer health status (M=3.90) than female nonplayers (depression, M=1.13; health status, M=3.57). Male video-game players reported higher BMI (M=5.31) and more Internet use time (M=2.55) than male nonplayers (BMI, M=5.19; Internet use, M=2.36). The only determinant common to female and male video-game players was greater reliance on the Internet for social support.Conclusions: A number of determinants distinguished video-game players from nonplayers, and these factors differed substantially between men and women. The data illustrate the need for further research among adults to clarify how to use digital opportunities more effectively to promote health and prevent disease. (Am J Prev Med 2009;37(4):299-305)
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
This study integrates research on problematic Internet use to explore the cognitive and psychological predictors of negative consequences associated with playing massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs). Participants recruited from online discussion boards completed self-report measures on their online game-related cognitions and psychological condition, social skills, psychological well-being, and negative life outcomes associated with game playing. The results demonstrated the important roles that psychological dependency and deficient self-regulation play in negative consequences associated with online gaming. The results also indicated that psychological dependency on MMOGs was predicted by cognitive preference for a virtual life-a construct that is negatively related to social control skills. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Playing computer games has become one of the main leisure activities in children and adolescents and increasingly replaces traditional playing and interactional activities. There might exist developmental benefits or positive effects of computer games that can be used for educational or therapeutic purposes. More important several studies have well demonstrated that excessive computer game playing is associated with behavior that features all components of non-chemical addiction and the prevalences across all age groups seem to be impressingly high. Objective: This overview relies on a Medline research. Its objective is to describe motivational and developmental characteristics attributed to computer games as well as the prevalences of computer playing in children and adolescents to better understand the risks for addictive use. We especially focus on the relations of excessive computer playing with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and aggressive behavior. Results: The results demonstrate that children with ADHD are especially vulnerable to addictive use of computer games due to their neuropsychological profile. Moreover excessive violent computer game playing might be a significant risk variable for aggressive behavior in the presence of personality traits with aggressive cognitions and behavior scripts in the consumers. Conclusions: The increasing clinical meaning of addictive computer games playing urgently necessitates the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools for clinical practice as well as the cooperation with allied disciplines.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Introduction: This study describes and compares the behavior of hyperactive and control children playing video games. Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of 29 ADHD children and 21 controls aged between 6 and 16 years playing video games. We used the Child Behavior Checklist and the Problem Videogame Playing scale (PVP scale). This instrument gives objective measures of problem use, which can be considered as an indication of addictive videogame playing. We designed a questionnaire for the parents, eliciting qualitative information about their child's videogame playing. There were no significant differences concerning frequency or duration of play between ADHD children and controls but differences were observed on the PVP scale. None of the controls scored above four whereas 10 hyperactive children answered affirmatively to five or more questions. These children presented a greater intensity of the disorder than the other ADHD children. Conclusion: While no differences concerning video game use were found, ADHD children exhibited more problems associated with videogame playing. It seems that a subgroup of ADHD children could be vulnerable to developing dependence upon video games. \copyright2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
A longitudinal design was employed to collect three waves of survey data over a 14 month period from 2790 online gamers. Respondents were asked questions about their gaming activity, motivations, personality, social and emotional environment, and the effect gaming has had on their lives. Prospective analysis was used to establish causal and temporal linkages among the repeatedly measured factors. While the data provide some indication that a player's reasons for playing do influence the development of problematic usage, these effects are overshadowed by the central importance of self-regulation in managing both the timing and amount of play. An individual's level of self-regulatory activity is shown to be very important in allowing them to avoid negative outcomes like problematic use. The role of depression is also discussed. With responsible use, online gaming appears to be a healthy recreational activity that provides millions of people with hours of social entertainment and adaptive diversion. However, failure to manage play behavior can lead to feelings of dependency.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
At present, little is known about why subjective time loss occurs whilst playing video games other than that it may relate to features of escape, immersion and arousal-all of which have been implicated in the development of addictive behaviours. This study examined subjective time loss of 40 undergraduate students (26 males and 14 females with a mean age of 21.4 years) whilst playing one of two video games in an experimental setting. Mood state before and after game playing was also examined using the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF, Grove & Prapavessis, 1992). Results found that, females significantly underestimated the time that they were playing compared to males. Total Mood Disturbance increased after playing one of the games, but only for participants who reported that they would liked to have continued playing for longer. There were no gender differences in relation to mood state. It is concluded that time loss is not (in itself) a precipitating or facilitating factor relating to addictive behaviour patterns.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Aims Some researchers suggest that for some people, video game playing is an addictive behaviour similar to substance dependence. Our aim,was to design and validate a scale to measure the problems associated with the apparently addictive use of all types of video games and video game systems, because there is no instrument at the present time that can be used for this purpose. Design We reviewed the DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence and for pathological gambling, as well as the literature on the addictions in order to design a short scale (PVP; problem video game playing) that is quick and easy to apply. Participants The scale was administered to 223 Spanish adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years. The study was carried out in Granada and Algeciras, Spain. Findings Psychometric analyses show that the PVP seems to be unidimensional and has acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) at 0.69. The pattern of associations between the scale scores and alternative measures of problem play supports its construct validity (higher total scores in the scale were associated with higher frequency of play, mean and longest times per session, self and parents' perception of playing to excess, and scores in the Severity of Dependence Scale). Conclusions Our results confirm that the excessive use of video games is associated with a number of problems which resemble a dependence syndrome, and the PVP appears as a useful instrument for the measurement of such problems.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
The objective of this study was to test the effect of individual differences on appeal and use of video games. Participants were 299 adolescent boys from lower and higher secondary schools in the Netherlands and Belgium. In general, boys were most attracted to violent video games. Boys that scored higher in trait aggressiveness and lower in empathy were especially attracted to violent games and spent more time playing video games than did boys lower in trait aggressiveness. Lower educated boys showed more appreciation for both violent and nonviolent games and spent more time playing them than did higher educated boys. The present study showed that aggressive and less empathic boys were most attracted to violent games. The fact that heavy users of violent games show less empathy and higher aggressiveness suggests the possibility of desensitization. Other studies have shown that playing violent games increases aggressiveness and decreases empathy. These results combined suggest the possibility of a violence cycle. Aggressive individuals are attracted to violent games. Playing violent games increases aggressiveness and decreases empathy, which in turn leads to increased appreciation and use of violent games.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
The objective of the study was to find out whether the school-based prevention programme `Initiated abstinence' is suitable to induce pupils to change their consumer behavior and attitudes. The participants of the prevention programme commit themselves `per contract' to abstain from or considerably reduce their consumption of at least one of their currently used substances (e. g. sweets, cigarettes) or media (TV, computer games) for a period of 2 weeks. The main goal of the programme is to sharpen their problem and health consciousness concerning addiction and pleasure seeking. The programme was evaluated by a longitudinal study. At three given times, the 12- to 15-year-old pupils of the experimental classes were interviewed by standardized self-completion questionnaires (n = 2,267). The control classes were submitted to two surveys (n = 586). The study was carried out in the areas of Innsbruck (Austria), Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) and South Tyrol (Italy). Not all pupils were able to keep their intentions submitted in their contract, but 4 of 5 pupils had at least one positive experience with the renunciation (82%). There were `overall effects': The actual renunciation of the pupils was much higher than stated in their agreement. The experimental group showed significant reduction effects for pupils, who had successfully reduced or stopped use of a substance or medium. In a further step, it should be explored whether the programme is suitable also for older groups, i.e. for pupils older than 15 years. Moreover, the long-term effects of the programmes should be tested.
New entry in Digiplay games research bibliography:
Despite the growing popularity of online game playing, there have been no surveys comparing adolescent and adult players. Therefore, an online questionnaire survey was used to examine various factors of online computer game players (n = 540) who played the most popular online game Everquest. The survey examined basic demographic information, playing frequency (i.e. amount of time spent playing the game a week), playing history (i.e. how long they had been playing the game, who they played the game with, whether they had ever gender swapped their game character, the favourite and least favourite aspects of playing the game, and what they sacrifice (if anything) to play the game. Results showed that adolescent gamers were significantly more likely to be male, significantly less likely to gender swap their characters, and significantly more likely to sacrifice their education or work. In relation to favourite aspects of game play, the biggest difference between the groups was that significantly more adolescents than adults claimed their favourite aspect of playing was violence. Results also showed that in general, the younger the player, the longer they spent each week playing.
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