Negative correlates of computer game play in adolescents

TLDR

There is concern that computer game play may be linked to social isolation, lowered self‑esteem, and aggression among adolescents. The study surveyed 204 year‑eight students in a North London comprehensive school, measuring these variables through a questionnaire. Principal component analysis suggested an “electronic friendship” effect in boys, but no evidence that game play leads to social isolation; self‑esteem was negatively related to play frequency in boys only, while aggression rose with total game exposure and was modestly predicted by sex and exposure, supporting further causal investigation.

Abstract

There is some concern that playing computer games may be associated with social isolation, lowered self‐esteem, and aggression among adolescents. Measures of these variables were included in a questionnaire completed by 204 year eight students at a North London comprehensive school. Principal components analysis of a scale to assess needs fulfilled by game play provided some support for the notion of ‘electronic friendship’ among boys, but there was no evidence that game play leads to social isolation. Play was not linked to self‐esteem in girls, but a negative relationship was obtained between self‐esteem and frequency of play in boys. However, self‐esteem was not associated with total exposure to game play. Aggression scores were not related to the number of games with aggressive content named among three favourite games, but they were positively correlated with total exposure to game play. A multiple regression analysis revealed that sex and total game play exposure each accounted for a significant but small amount of the variance in aggression scores. The positive correlation between playing computer games and aggression provides some justification for further investigation of the causal hypothesis, and possible methodologies are discussed.