A large number of young people who regularly play video games, 8.5 percent of them, show signs pathological dependence on this type of entertainment, the conclusion is a new study of American scientists.
Study researchers from the Iowa State University in Ames say that not only are children spending too much time playing video games, but how their activity interferes with success in school, interacting with friends and families, and even brings health problems.
“What’s most concerning to me is really the total percentage, just the vast number of kids that are having real problems in their lives because they play games, and they may not know how to stop it,” said study leader, psychologist Douglas A. Gentile.
Video games as alcohol
Gentile believes that “we’re at the same place now with video gaming as we were with alcoholism 40 years ago”. Alcohol was not listed as a disease, and dependence on video games has not been listed as a psychological disorder.
The next edition of the Manual for mental disorders American psychiatric society will be the 2012th, and Gentile hopes to do it could redefine the term dependence on video games.
The study is based on data from a national survey that included about 1200 children and adolescents throughout the United States and aged between eight and 18 years.
Respondents answered questions like “Have you ever played video games to escape from the real world” or “Have you ever lied to family and friends about how much you play games.”
Questionable methodology
Gamers were classified as pathological players if they exhibited at least six of the 11 criteria. Pathological players play games more often and longer, get worse grades in school, and often notice problems with the monitoring of school attendance of non-pathological players. They have a greater chance of having attention.
His critics doubt the methodology, and ask how the 8-year child is able to adequately fill out the survey. They said that a pathological dependence on video games is only a symptom of deeper problems.
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