Abstract
The literature provides some evidence that the use of violent video games increases the risk for young people to develop aggressive cognitions and even behaviors. We aimed to verify whether exposure to violent video games is linked to problems of aggression in a sample of Italian children. Four questionnaires were administered to 346 children between 7 and 14 years of age, attending primary and secondary schools in Northern Italy. Variables measured were externalization, quality of interpersonal relationships, aggression, quality of coping strategies, and parental stress. Participants who preferred violent games showed higher scores for externalization and aggression. The use of violent video games and age were linked to higher levels of aggression, coping strategies, and the habitual video game weekly consumption of participants. Our data confirm the role of violent video games as risk factors for problems of aggressive behavior and of externalization in childhood and early adolescence.
Highlights
Video games (VGs) are among the most popular recreational activities of children and adolescents
Two sets of three-step hierarchical regressions were performed to verify the association of violent VG use with externalization (CBCL) and aggression (AFV)
We decided to adopt a three-step approach to single out the relative contribution to variance of the following subsets of variables: (a) the habitual use of violent VGs; (b) demographic variables such as age and gender; and (c) other potential predictors of problems of aggression such as coping strategies (CCSC-R1), parental stress (PSI), and quality of relationships (TRI)
Summary
Video games (VGs) are among the most popular recreational activities of children and adolescents. VG contents are often violent, requiring the player to overtly injure or kill “enemies” to progress in the game. These contents are often displayed with a very high degree of realism, due to the fast and constant technological evolution of consoles and personal computers. The possibility of realistically mimicking aggressive behaviors could lead the player to learn and practice violent scripts. Regarding the outcomes of this “training,” short- and long-term effects of interaction with violent VGs were studied in the literature as early as the 1980s. Results from the 1980s’ and 1990s’ research highlighted that exposure to violent VGs could encourage aggressive cognitions and behaviors in young players (cf Adachi & Willoughby, 2011; Anderson et al, 2003; Kirsh, 2006)
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