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Gaming behavior among dutch males : prevalence and risk factors for addiction

Haagsma, M. (2008) Gaming behavior among dutch males : prevalence and risk factors for addiction.

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Abstract:As the popularity of gaming has grown in the last decades, so has concern over game addiction. In this study, prevalence and risk factors for game addiction were examined by identifying which playing variables, demographic factors, social cognitive and psychological variables are associated with playing frequency and addiction. An online questionnaire was used to examine playing variables, demographic factors, social cognitive and psychological variables. The sample consisted of 176 male adolescents and young adults. A lot of time is spend on gaming, respondents spend on average half a workweek on playing games. Online games, especially MMORPG’s, were played for much more hours than offline games. Despite the amounts of time that were spend on gaming, only a few respondents met the criteria for game addiction. Depression, self-efficacy and immersion motives were strong independent determinants of game addiction. Respondents who were more depressed, played games to escape reality and who found it difficult to control their own game behavior, experienced more addiction. Factors like psychological wellbeing determined if gaming becomes an addiction and not necessarily the amounts of time spend on gaming. These findings suggests that in general, most respondents experienced little negative consequences. For them gaming was a fun daily activity like any other. Nevertheless, gaming can be become a serious problem for a small group of players. This study identified some important factors that could form a risk for game addiction
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/58889
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