Which are the patterns of video game use in Spanish school adolescents? Gender as a key factor

Abstract

Video games are part of the technological revolution, and it is possible nowadays to play video games anytime and anywhere as a primary source of youth entertainment. The research question of this study refers to which are the patterns of video game usage by Spanish school adolescents. In particular, it analyzes the time and money spent on video games among Spanish teenage students of 11–19 years old (M = 13.98; SD ± 1.397), as well as the game platform and the type of video games used, according to type of day and, especially, gender of the player. A survey was applied to a representative sample of adolescent students (n = 1502) from Valencian Region (Spain). The results showed an average of 47.23 min/day dedicated to video games. Adolescents’ boys spent more time and money than girls did, and more time on weekends than on weekdays. Time on weekends increased much more in boys than in girls. Girls were often occasional players and boys predominantly moderate or frequent players. More boys, compared to girls, play on console and computers, while more girls, compared to boys, play on mobile and tablet platforms. Also, more boys played action, sports and simulation games than girls, while more girls played leisurely, educational and social interaction games. These findings reveal that video games are currently a male-dominated arena, although as a cultural phenomenon that is socially constructed this situation may change.