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How to cite: Gentile, D. A. (2009). Pathological video game use among youth 8 to 18: A national study. Psychological Science, 20, 594-602. Abstract Researchers have studied whether some youth are “addicted” to video games, but previous studies are based on regional convenience samples. This study gathered information from a national sample about video gaming habits, parent involvement in gaming, and the percentage that meet DSM-style criteria for pathological gaming. A Harris poll surveyed a randomly selected sample of 1,178 American youth aged 8 to 18. About eight percent of video game players exhibited pathological patterns of play. Several indicators documented convergent and divergent validity, including pathological gamers (compared to non-pathological gamers) spending twice as much time playing, showing comorbidity with attention problems, and receiving poorer grades in school. Pathological status significantly predicted poorer school performance even after controlling for sex, age, and weekly amount of video game play. These results confirm that pathological gaming can be measured reliably, that the construct demonstrates validity, and that it is not simply isomorphic with a high amount of play. For more information: MediaWise Additional facts about video game addiction Additional resources:Get Game Smart - GetGameSmart.com is a new resource for parents that provides tools, tips and resources to help manage their children’s screen time and provide a more healthy and balanced media experience. Note: I prefer the term pathological computer or video game use rather than computer, Internet, or video game addiction. Addiction is not a proper medical term, really, and the ultimate issue seems to be that the pattern of use is pathological - that is, it disrupts the ability to function socially, psychologically, occupationally, academically, or otherwise. The version presented on this website may differ in small ways from the final published version. |
