Gaming Disorder
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Gaming Disorder
Introduction
Nowadays there are a lot of computer games that people can play. However, some of these games have proved addictive, and many people spent much of their valuable time behind the screen playing these games. Playing many video games is not a good enough reason to call it a gaming disorder, but if a game interferes with a person’s daily life, the individual can be said to have a gaming disorder. A gaming disorder is described as a condition of recurrent gaming behavior whereby a person cannot control their gaming behavior. They tend to prioritize gaming over other essential activities. These people do not quit or control their gaming behavior despite it having negative impacts on their lives.
Literature review
Game addiction has been included in section III of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Version, May 2013, as a condition for additional study (APA, 2013). Gaming disorder is mostly linked with the amount of time or money a person spends on gaming, lack of adequate sleep, and poor interpersonal relationships. Online gaming addicts use these games to find satisfaction in real life, and as a result, gaming becomes a significant part of their daily life. Researchers have shown that a relationship exists between violent video games and aggressive behaviors, especially in youths. Close to 56% of school children age 13 to 125 years use more than three hours of their day playing video games but this percentage increases to 63 when the age limit is extended to include children of 16 and 17 years (Saunders et al., 2017). Gaming disorder is more common in young people because it is during this age when they have much access and exposure to online games. College and university students are exposed to these games because they have the most time to spend on their activities and engage their friends in gaming.
Research Design
Gaming disorder is becoming a primary concern worldwide, and therefore many researchers have invested resources in identifying the causes and means to mitigate it. There is, therefore, a dire need to address this issue before it gets out of hand because we will lose most of our young people if the problem is not dealt with accordingly (Chen et al., 2018). This study will focus on male children in the UAE who play video games for at least four hours each day and prefer playing violent games. A hundred males children aged 16 to 30 years will be registered for the study. Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT) Scale is administered to the study subjects to test game addiction, depression, loneliness, and aggression.
Implications
Gaming disorder can have significant impacts on school-going children ranging from their academic life to social life. Studies have indicated that children with gaming disorder are likely to have depression, poor academic performance, and poor relationships with parents over time (Saunders et al., 2017). Children are also likely to become aggressive, which can be transferred into adulthood. Most studies recommend using cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat this disorder, but other approaches like family therapy and motivational interviewing can be employed. Combining these approaches can produce the best results, although each can be used independently and still be effective.
Future research work can be used to address the risk factors for developing the disorder because little is known about those who are most at risk. Researchers can also try to establish the clinical course of gaming disorder and explain the length of time it takes to develop the disorder and how long it lasts. There is also no sufficient information on the effective treatment of gaming disorder, which can be a topic for future research.
References
APA. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association. Retrieved from http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/Internet%20Gaming%20Disorder%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
Chen, K. H., Oliffe, J. L., & Kelly, M. T. (2018). Internet gaming disorder: an emergent health issue for men. American Journal of Men’s Health, 12(4), 1151-1159.
Saunders, J. B., Hao, W., Long, J., King, D. L., Mann, K., Fauth-Bühler, M., & Chan, E. (2017). Gaming disorder: Its delineation as an important condition for diagnosis, management, and prevention. Journal of behavioral addictions, 6(3), 271-279.