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. 2021 May-Jun;43(3):289-292.
doi: 10.1590/1516-4446-2020-0964.

Predictors of gaming disorder in children and adolescents: a school-based study

Felipe de M Ferreira  1   2 , Beatriz B Bambini  1 , Gabriela K Tonsig  1 , Lais Fonseca  1   2 , Felipe A Picon  2   3   4 , Pedro M Pan  1   2   5 , Giovanni A Salum  2   6 , Andrea Jackowski  1   2 , Eurípedes C Miguel  2   7 , Luis A Rohde  2   6 , Rodrigo A Bressan  1   2   5 , Ary Gadelha  1   2   5
Affiliations

Predictors of gaming disorder in children and adolescents: a school-based study

Felipe de M Ferreira et al. Braz J Psychiatry. 2021 May-Jun.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether psychiatric and gaming pattern variables are associated with gaming disorder in a school-based sample.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Brazilian High-Risk Cohort for Psychiatric Disorders, a community sample aged 10 to 18, using questionnaires on gaming use patterns. We applied the Gaming Addiction Scale to diagnose gaming disorder and the Development and Well-Being Behavior Assessment for other diagnoses.

Results: Out of 407 subjects, 83 (20.4%) fulfilled the criteria for gaming disorder. More role-playing game players were diagnosed with gaming disorder that any other genre. Gaming disorder rates increased proportionally to the number of genres played. Playing online, being diagnosed with a mental disorder, and more hours of non-stop gaming were associated with higher rates of gaming disorder. When all variables (including age and gender) were considered in a logistic regression model, the number of genres played, the number of non-stop hours, the proportion of online games, and having a diagnosed mental disorder emerged as significant predictors of gaming disorder.

Conclusion: Each variable seems to add further risk of gaming disorder among children and adolescents. Monitoring the length of gaming sessions, the number and type of genres played, time spent gaming online, and behavior changes may help parents or guardians identify unhealthy patterns of gaming behavior.

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Conflict of interest statement

LAR has been on the speakers’ bureau and/or consulted for Eli-Lilly, Janssen-Cilag, Medice, Novartis, and Shire; has received royalties from Oxford Press and ArtMed; and has received travel awards to participate in the 2016 AACAP and 2018 APA meetings from Novartis and Shire. The ADHD and Child Bipolar Disorders Outpatient Programs chaired by him has received unrestricted educational/research support from Eli-Lilly, Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, and Shire. RAB has received research grants from Janssen; and has participated in speaker bureaus for Janssen and Sanofi-Aventis. AG has participated in advisory boards for Janssen and Daiichi Sankyo; and has received fees as a speaker for Daichii-Sankyo, Ache, Janssen, and Torrent. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. GAS score and proportion of time spent playing video games online. GAS = Gaming Addiction Scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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