Introduction. Today, information and communication technologies maximize the simplification of life and work of mankind. This also affected the younger generation which received new and exciting means of amusing leisure in the form of computer games of various genres. Excessive passion and total immersion in the virtual game world can result in the formation of addictive behavior. Recently, this problem has become popular and is relevantin the context of preventing the addictive behavior in young people, the growth of such manifestations as school shooting, cyberbullying, suicidal behavior, etc. In this regard, there is a need to conduct research on the problem under consideration in order to further build effective preventive activities. The purpose of the study was to comprehensively examine the main signs, causes and conditions for the formation of minors’ computer game addiction. Methodology, methods and techniques. The study was based on modern scientific, methodological and socio-psychological methods for studying minors’ computer addiction. The methods of rising from the abstract to the concrete, comparative studies and axiological interpretation were applied in the study. The results of the study indicate the relevance of this topic in the light of rapidly developing information technologies. The analysis of the social and psychological features of the formation of computer game addiction in minors was carried out, and the causes of this type of addiction were specified. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the analysis of researchwithin the study of addictive behavior, as a result of which the main reasons for the formation of computer game addiction in minors were identified. Practical significance. The results of the work can fill the existing gap in the study of this topic and become an aid in the further development of comprehensive research in order to prevent the formation of addictive behavior in minors. For example, important and promising areas within this topic are: the study of age and gender characteristics of psychological dependence on computer games; the study of diagnostics of minors’ computer game addiction; selection of effective psychotherapeutic techniques and methods for dealing with game addicts.
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