Problematic Video Game Use: Estimated Prevalence and Associations with Mental and Physical Health

TLDR

The study surveyed a nationwide sample to estimate the prevalence of video game addiction and problematic use and examine their links to physical and mental health. The survey recruited 2,500 Norwegians from the national registry and received 816 completed responses (34 %). Among respondents, 56.3 % played regularly; video game addiction was 0.6 % and problematic use 4.1 %, with male gender and younger age predicting higher risk, and problematic use was linked to lower life satisfaction and higher anxiety and depression but not to physical exercise levels.

Abstract

A nationwide survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence of video game addiction and problematic video game use and their association with physical and mental health. An initial sample comprising 2,500 individuals was randomly selected from the Norwegian National Registry. A total of 816 (34.0 percent) individuals completed and returned the questionnaire. The majority (56.3 percent) of respondents used video games on a regular basis. The prevalence of video game addiction was estimated to be 0.6 percent, with problematic use of video games reported by 4.1 percent of the sample. Gender (male) and age group (young) were strong predictors for problematic use of video games. A higher proportion of high frequency compared with low frequency players preferred massively multiplayer online role-playing games, although the majority of high frequency players preferred other game types. Problematic use of video games was associated with lower scores on life satisfaction and with elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Video game use was not associated with reported amount of physical exercise.