Epidemiol Health.  2020;42:e2020016. 10.4178/epih.e2020016.

Relationship between the experience of online game genre and high risk of Internet gaming disorder in Korean adolescents

• Han H
• Jeong H
• Jo SJ
• Son HJ
• Yim HW

• KMID: 2502216
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2020016

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study examined the association between high risk of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and online game genres used by adolescents.
METHODS
The data derived from the baseline data of the Internet user Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of gaming disorder in Early Adolescence. A total 1,532 middle school students who use online games included. The participants reported the names of the online games they used during the past year. Game genres were categorized into role playing games (RPGs), shooting, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), simulation, arcade, sports and action games. The risk of IGD was measured using the Internet Gaming Use-Elicited symptom Screen. The relationship between the experience of online game genre and high risk of IGD was analyzed using multiple logistic regression model.
RESULTS
The game time of a student was longer if he or she had an experience of RPGs, shooting games, MOBA games, simulation games, and action games. The direct and independent association between high risk of IGD in adolescents and the genres of RPGs, simulation games and MOBA were found to be odds ratios 1.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 2.26); 1.59 (95% CI, 1.03 to 2.45); and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.03 to 2.21), respectively after adjusted the potential confounding variables and the use of other online game genres.
CONCLUSIONS
The present cross-sectional study has found an association between online game genres and the risk of IGD in adolescents attending a school. A cohort study should verify the causal association in future.

Keyword

Adolescent; Online game; Internet gaming disorder; Game genre