Physical Interpersonal Relationships and Social Anxiety among Online Game Players

TLDR

Online gaming, especially among teenagers, is increasingly time‑consuming and linked to addictive behaviors, prompting concerns from parents, educators, and social scientists about its potential social problems. The study surveyed 174 Taiwanese college‑age online gamers to assess how gaming affects interpersonal relationships and social anxiety. Greater gaming time was associated with poorer interpersonal relationships and higher social anxiety.

Abstract

Many online game players spend inordinate amounts of time in their favorite virtual worlds. A large percentage of these players are teenagers who show behaviors normally associated with physical addiction. Parents, educators, and social scientists are therefore saying that online games are sources of social problems. The authors surveyed 174 Taiwanese college-age online players to collect data on the potential effects of online games on the quality of interpersonal relationships and levels of social anxiety. According to the results, the quality of interpersonal relationships decreased and the amount of social anxiety increased as the amount of time spent playing online games increased