Factors Affecting the Internet Game Addiction Risk of Elementary School Students in Multicultural Families

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to determine that the general characteristics, self-esteem, parent-child relationships, and school life adjustment differ between the Internet game addiction risk group and the non-addiction group, and identify the factors affecting the risk of Internet game addiction. Methods: Data were collected from 24 January to 17 April 2013. A total of 209 subjects were analyzed in the 4th, 5th, 6th grade of elementary school students of multicultural families in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in self-esteem, parent-child relationship, and school life adjustment between the Internet game addiction risk group and the non-addiction group. The factors affecting Internet game addiction risk to elementary school students in multicultural families were gender, foreign mother’s country, school life adjust ment in order. Conclusions: It is necessary to consider cultural sensitivity in developing Internet game addiction risk prevention program, and to grasp the Internet game addiction targeting multicultural elementary school students.