A condition recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a mental health disorder in which an individual has a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior, either online or offline, that becomes so extensive and severe that it impairs an individual's personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
Published in Chapter:
Health Impacts of Internet Gaming Addiction
Seçil Özkan (Gazi University, Turkey) and Enis Taha Özkan (Gazi University, Turkey)
Copyright: © 2023
|Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8397-8.ch018
Abstract
The frequency of internet gaming addiction varies between 1-15% in the world. There are some demographic factors, psychosocial factors, and game-related factors in the etiology of gaming addiction. In demographic factors, male gender, adolescent age group, separation of parents, high income, and being a student are seen as risks. Psychosocial factors include low social cohesion, aggressive behavior, anxiety or depression, low academic performance, attention problems, low life satisfaction, problems in family / friend relationships, and low self-esteem. Internet gaming addiction has many health effects, physiological, psychological, and social problems. In addition to determining the diagnostic criteria for gaming addiction, there is a need for national and international studies that will guide protection and intervention efforts, especially for at-risk youth. As a result of these studies, effective and effective evidence-based public health intervention programs should be developed.