Association between playing computer games and mental and social health among male adolescents in Iran in 2014
Abstract
Background: As adolescents spend much time on playing computer games, their mental and social effects should be considered. The present study aimed to investigate the association between playing computer games and the mental and social health among male adolescents in Iran in 2014.
Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 210 adolescents selected by multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected by Goldberg and Hillier general health (28 items) and Kiez social health questionnaires. The association was tested by Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and independent t-test. Computer games related factors such as the location, type, length, the adopted device, and mode of playing games were investigated.
Results: Results showed that 58.9% of the subjects played games on a computer alone for 1 h at home. Results also revealed that the subjects had appropriate mental health and 83.2% had moderate social health. Results showed a poor significant association between the length of games and social health (r = −0.15, P = 0.03), the type of games and mental health (r = −0.16, P = 0.01), and the device used in playing games and social health (F = 0.95, P = 0.03).
Conclusions: The findings showed that adolescents’ mental and social health is negatively associated with their playing computer games. Therefore, to promote their health, educating them about the correct way of playing computer games is essential and their parents and school authorities, including nurses working at schools, should determine its relevant factors such as the type, length, and device used in playing such games.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Doran B, Azad FP, Fathi AA, Poorhossain R. The role of computer games in the formation of youth identity. J Behave Science 2012;6:299-306.
Kasiri DN, Eslami A, Mostafavi F, Hassanzade A, Moradi A. The relationship between computer games and quality of life in Adolescents Aging 12-15 in the city of Borkhar, Iran. Health Research 2011;7:291-300.
Amini K, Amini A, Pharm D, Yaghobi M, Amini D. High school students playing computer games. Developmental Pscychology 2007;4:189-98.
Mehrabifar F, Mortazavi M, Lesani M. Reviewing the type of computer games and the time spent on them and their relationship with the student’s educational achievement in Kerman’s high schools. Research curriculum Planning 2012;9:125-35.
Sharifi L, Shaghaghi M, Sharifi S. Relationship between computer games and the study of secondary school students in Karaj. J Academic Lib 2001;45:111-30.
Abdolkhaleghi M, Davachi A, Sahbaie F, Mahmoudifar M. Surveying the association between computer video games and Aggression in male students of guidance schools in Tehran, 2003. J Azad Univ Med Sci 2004;15:141-5.
Allahverdipour H, Bazargan M, Farhadinasab A, Moeini B. Correlates of video games playing among adolescents in an Islamic country. BMC Public Health 2010;10:286.
Khodabakhsh S, Maher F. Compare ways of coping with stress in adolescents dependent and non-dependent on computer games. J Family Research 2008;2:51-74.
Chiu S, Lee J, Huang D. Video game addiction in children and teenagers in Taiwan. Cyberpsychology Behav 2004;7:571-81.
Lateh H, Muniandy V. Technology integrated teaching in Malaysian schools: GIS, a SWOT analysis. J Educational Tech 2011;3:64-74.
Wan CS, Chion WB. Psychological motives and online games addiction: A test of flow theory and humanistic needs theory for Taiwanese adolescents. Cyberpsychology Behav 2006;1:317-24.
Zamani E, Kheradmand A, Cheshmi M, Abedi A, Hedayati N. Comparing the social skills of students addicted to computer games with normal students. Addict Health 2010;2:59-65.
Lemola S, Brand S, Vogler N, Perkinson-Gloor N, Allemand M,
Grob A. Habitual computer game playing at night is related to depressive symptoms. Pers Individ Dif 2011;51:112-22.
Mahmoudifar U, Khezr TZ, Rezvani P, Salehi K. The place and role of nurses in school health. Journal of Scientific Research in the Field of Quality Policy and Health Management 2009;33:27-31.
Ganji K, Navabakhsh M, Zabihi R. Relationship between identity styles and social well-being with help-seeking behavior of high school students in mathematic subject. J Q Educate Psychol 2012;7:95-123.
Available from: http://WWW.amar.org.ir/.
Taghavi SM. The normalization of general health questionnaire for Shiraz university students. Daneshvar Raftar 2008;15:1-12.
Taghavi SM. An investigation validity and credibility of the general health questionnaire. J Psychol 2001;20:381-98.
Danesh E. A comparison of happiness, physical and mental health in male and female student’s married and single of university. J Appl Psychol 2011;4:56-71.
Amini ZM. Investigating the relationship between metacognition beliefs with mental health and academic achievement in male students of the city of Oshnavieh. Journal of Educational Innovations 2007;6:141-54.
Ganji H. Social development. In: Mirhashemi M, editor. Developmental Psychology, 2nd ed. Tehran: Besat; 1997. p. 197.
Saffarian S, Abdollahi M, Daeizade H, Bayat A. The relationship between the amount of playing computer games and student’s mental health and Academic performance. Journal Information
and Communication Technology in Educational Sciences 2013;3:5-20.
Hellstrom C, Nilsson KW, Leppert J, Aslund C. Influences of motives to play and time spend gaming on the negative consequences of adolescent online computer gaming. Comput Human Behav 2012;28:1379-87.
Ahmadi P, Khademi E, Fatahi BS. Effects of new communication technologies (Internet, computer games, satellite) on social education, with an emphasis on the compatibility of the second year high school students in Tehran. New thoughts on education-faculty of education and psychology Al-Zahra university 2009;5:9-36. 25. Farmanbar R, Tavana Z, Estebsari F, Atrcar RZ. The relationship between playing computer games with Aggression among middle school students in the city of Rasht in 2013. Health Education and Health Promotion 2013;1:57-66.
Doran B, Azad Falah P, Ejei J. Relationship between computer games and social skills of adolescents. J Psychol 2002;6:4-17.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.