New Study Highlights the Growing Concern of Hazardous Gaming in Children

A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry has shed light on the increasing issue of hazardous gaming among children, a behavior that could be a precursor to more severe conditions like Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). The study, led by Sonja Kewitz from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, emphasizes the need for early detection and intervention as gaming becomes an integral part of children's lives.

The research focused on children aged 8 to 12 and used a modified version of the Video Game Dependency Scale (CSAS) to assess hazardous gaming behaviors. The study involved 871 participants from both school and clinical settings in Germany, making it one of the first comprehensive studies to explore hazardous gaming in this age group.

Key Findings

The study found that 10.4% of the children met the criteria for hazardous gaming, a condition characterized by excessive gaming time, neglect of other activities, and the continuation of gaming despite negative consequences. Notably, the research revealed that hazardous gaming and subclinical IGD—where some but not all criteria for a full IGD diagnosis are met—are distinct but overlapping conditions.

Interestingly, 35.2% of the children who met the threshold for hazardous gaming did not meet the criteria for IGD, indicating that hazardous gaming could be an early indicator of more severe gaming disorders. Conversely, 91.3% of children with IGD also met the criteria for hazardous gaming, suggesting a close relationship between the two conditions.

Implications for Early Intervention

The study's findings highlight the importance of screening for hazardous gaming in children. Early identification could prevent the development of full-syndrome IGD and other related mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. The researchers recommend that clinicians consider both hazardous gaming and subclinical IGD when assessing children's gaming behaviors to provide timely interventions.

Moreover, the study suggests adding new items to existing assessment tools to better capture risky behaviors associated with gaming, such as the impact on diet, sleep, and even safety in traffic.

A Call for Further Research

While the study provides a valuable framework for assessing hazardous gaming in children, the researchers acknowledge the need for further validation of the proposed assessment criteria. They also call for the development of more refined tools to assess gaming frequency and its impact on children's daily lives, possibly through technological means like tracking data from gaming devices.

As gaming continues to evolve as a popular leisure activity among children, this study serves as a crucial step towards understanding and addressing the potential risks associated with excessive gaming from an early age.

The full study is available in the Frontiers in Psychiatry journal under the title "Assessment of Hazardous Gaming in Children and Its Dissimilarities and Overlaps with Internet Gaming Disorder."