Video game use among schoolchildren and its impact on the study habits

Abstract

Background: Children usually play video games for entertainment, excitement, challenge seeking, emotional coping, and escaping from reality to virtuality to fulfill their unsatisfied needs or motivations. Video game is a ‘medium’ through which young children can make sense of, and feel at home in the present modern generation where in parents are too busy with their own career choices. Methods: The present study aims at understanding prevalence and how it impacts on the academics among the school children and to understand about mental health problems among the pathological user. The present study likes to explore the addiction of video and internet games among students and establish fact about its effects. Students were selected from two schools with state syllabus. Video game addiction scale and study checklist was used for the present study. 200 students in the classes of 8th and 9thgrades and those who can read and write English were invited to participate in the survey. Results: Almost half of the children reported that they did not play Video Game, 18% of students are using video game with control, 20% students are excessively using video games and 17.5% of the students fall under addiction category. The study indicated that 19% of the children were spending more than 3 hours for game. Conclusion: In conclusion, playing video and internet games is a widespread activity among young children, and a substantial proportion of their time is spent on this activity, affecting their relationship and the time spent on learning.