Article

VIRTUAL WELLNESS NEW ZEALAND
Back to Articles
December 1, 2015
Science

Problematic digital gaming behavior and its relation to the psychological, social and physical health of Finnish adolescents and young adults

T

he aim of this study was to identify problematic gaming behavior among Finnish adolescents and young adults, and evaluate its connection to a variety of psychological, social, and physical health symptoms.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample of 293 respondents aged from 13 to 24 years. Participants completed an online survey. Problematic gaming behavior was measured with the Game Addiction Scale (GAS). Self-reports covered health measures such as psychological health (psychopathological symptoms, satisfaction with life), social health (preferences for social interaction), and physical health (general health, Body Mass Index [BMI], body discomfort, physical activity).

Results

Problematic gaming behavior was found to relate to psychological and health problems, namely fatigue, sleep interference, depression and anxiety symptoms. Multiple linear regression indicated that the amount of weekly gaming, depression and a preference for online social interaction predicted increased problematic gaming symptoms.

Conclusions

This research emphasized that problematic gaming behavior had a strong negative correlation to a variety of subjective health outcomes.

‍

Download the PDF article on AKJournals.

You might Also Like

Science

A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents

This systematic review synthesised evidence on the influence of social media use on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. All domains correlated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress.

Read More
Streams

Dopamine and addiction: navigating pleasure, pain, and the path to recovery

Anna Lembke is the Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic and author of Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. In this episode, Anna dives deep into the biochemistry and neurobiology of addiction, exploring the critical role of dopamine and the prefrontal cortex. She shares her framework for diagnosing and treating addiction, providing real-world examples involving alcohol, gambling, cannabis, social media, and more.

Read More
Science

Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media

The relationship between social media use and life satisfaction changes across adolescent development. Our analyses of two UK datasets comprising 84,011 participants (10–80 years old) find that the cross-sectional relationship between self-reported estimates of social media use and life satisfaction ratings is most negative in younger adolescents.

Read More
We value your opinion

Feedback Survey

We greatly appreciate your feedback on this website and would like to know what information you found useful and what services you would like to see next. Please take a couple of minutes to let us know.

survey
About us

Virtual Wellness New Zealand helps people who are seeking information and support with managing their internet usage.

Navigation
HomeRisk AreasQuizNewsStreamsScienceSurveyContact
Contacts
Based in New Zealand
info@virtualwellness.nz
+64 27 707 1467
message us
Send Message
Copyright Virtual Wellness New Zealand 2025
Powered by Rapid Evolution
HomeRisk AreasQuizNewsStreamsscienceSurveycontact
CONTACT

Virtual wellness New Zealand

INternet guidance
ContactAboutQuizCoachingArticlesTypesHome
Close
HomeRisk AreasQuizNewsStreamsScienceSurveyContact