A cross-sectional analysis of video games and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in adolescents.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Excessive use of the Internet has been associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the relationship between video games and ADHD symptoms in adolescents is unknown.

METHOD:
A survey of adolescents and parents (n = 72 adolescents, 72 parents) was performed assessing daily time spent on the Internet, television, console video games, and Internet video games, and their association with academic and social functioning. Subjects were high school students in the ninth and tenth grade. Students were administered a modified Young's Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS) and asked questions about exercise, grades, work, and school detentions. Parents were asked to complete the Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) and answer questions regarding medical/psychiatric conditions in their child.

RESULTS:
There was a significant association between time spent playing games for more than one hour a day and YIAS (p < 0.001), overall grade point average (p < or = 0.019), and the "Inattention" and "ADHD" components of the CPRS (p < or = 0.001 and p < or = 0.020, respectively). No significant association was found between body mass index (BMI), exercise, number of detentions, or the "Oppositional" and "Hyperactivity" components of CPRS and video game use.

CONCLUSION:
Adolescents who play more than one hour of console or Internet video games may have more or more intense symptoms of ADHD or inattention than those who do not. Given the possible negative effects these conditions may have on scholastic performance, the added consequences of more time spent on video games may also place these individuals at increased risk for problems in school.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Chan, Philip A (PA); Rabinowitz, Terry (T);

Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Pchan(-atsign-)lifespan.org

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Annals of general psychiatry (Ann Gen Psychiatry), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-; vol 5 (issue ) : pp 16

Dates: Created 2006/11/13; Completed 2007/08/09; Revised 2008/11/20;

PMID: 17059614, status: PubMed-not-MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

No MeSH Headings found.

The article may not be MeSH Indexed as yet.

This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.

See 100+ related articles.