Online gaming and its association with emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents – A study from Northeast India

Abstract

Context: Online game addiction has emerged as a public health concern. Effects of online game addiction on physical and mental health are well documented. Aim: The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of online game addiction and to see its correlation with emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at two schools from Sonitpur and Kamrup districts of Assam using a convenience sampling technique. Total enumeration method was used to recruit a total of 415 respondents (standard 8th, 9th, and 10th), out of which only 409 respondents were taken for final analysis. Sociodemographic datasheet, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Online Gaming Addiction Scale, and Short Self-Regulation Scale (SSRQ) were administered. The study was approved by the Scientific Committee and Institute Ethics Committee of LGBRIMH, Tezpur. Results: Online gaming behavior was found to have a significant positive correlation with emotional problem (r = 0.392, P = 0.01), conduct problem (r = 0.484, P = 0.01), hyperactivity problem (r = 0.335, P = 0.01), peer problem (r = 0.355, P = 0.01), and difficulty score (r = 0.506, P = 0.01). Online gaming showed a negative correlation with SSRQ (r = 0.0160, P = 0.01). Emotional problem (B = 1.139, t = 3.024, P = 0.001), conduct problem (B = 2.163, t = 5.661, P = 0.001), and total difficulty score (B = 1.196, t = 11.630, P = 0.001) contributed significantly to the prediction of online gaming addiction among adolescents (F[6,402] = 27.261, P = 0.001) accounting for 2.89% of variance. Conclusion: Online gaming behavior was found to have an association with emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents. Psychosocial interventions at individual and family levels can enhance self-regulation and control online gaming addiction among adolescents.