Impact of Action Video Gaming Behavior on Attention, Anxiety, and Sleep Among University Students

Abstract

Background Recently, there has been an increase in the prevalence of action video gaming among adolescents and young adults. This has made video gaming a topic of interest for behavioral and higher brain cognitive function researchers. The present study investigated the impact and consequences of action video gaming on human behavior—specifically, attention, anxiety levels, and sleep patterns. Objective The study aimed to investigate the potential associations between action video gaming and attention, anxiety, and sleep. Methods Recruited participants (N = 97) were asked to independently complete an online questionnaire consisting of 4 sections: demographic data, gaming behavior, 8-item Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorders Scale. Participants were further divided into 2 groups (expert and non-expert video gamers) based on the number of hours they spent on action video games. After completing the questionnaires, the patients attended an on-site session, where they completed a validated psychological online battery test that assessed their sustained attention. Results The mean age of the participants was 21 years. There was a significant difference in attention between expert and non-expert video gamers; when exposed to stimuli, expert gamers displayed significantly shorter reaction times than the non-expert gamers (p < 0.05). Both groups showed a non-significant decrease in attention span throughout time. The data demonstrated no statistically significant difference in anxiety levels or daytime sleepiness between expert and non-expert video gamers, and minimal to mild anxiety levels were reported in most expert and non-expert gamers. Conclusion Expert video gamers were significantly more attentive compared to non-expert gamers, and most participants showed low levels of generalized anxiety. Accordingly, expanding our knowledge on the effects of action video games on attention span is important for creatively using games in the field of education, especially for those who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.

Action Video Gaming and Attention in Young Adults: A Systematic Review

“…Third, regarding the exposure or outcome of interest, all studies carried out the same method of verification of both groups. A secure registration or structured interview was used to carry out recruitment, except for two studies, which did not present the same case-control verification method (Alsaad et al, 2022; Antzaka et al, 2017).…”

“…Specifically, from Germany (Klasen et al, 2012; Steenbergen et al, 2015), Netherlands (Olfers & Band, 2018), Austria (Richlan et al, 2018), United Kingdom (Föcker et al, 2019), and Spain (Antzaka et al, 2017). There are also several studies from China (Gan et al, 2020; Gong et al, 2015, 2016; Yao et al, 2020), America (Bavelier & Green, 2019), and Saudi Arabia (Alsaad et al, 2022). Referring to the average age of the participants, ranges, on the one hand, between 20 and 21 years (Alsaad et al, 2022; Antzaka et al, 2017; Föcker et al, 2019), and, on the other hand, it is situated in an average age greater than 22 years of age (Bavelier & Green, 2019; Gong et al, 2015, 2016; Klasen et al, 2012; Olfers & Band, 2018; Richlan et al, 2018).…”

“…There are also several studies from China (Gan et al, 2020; Gong et al, 2015, 2016; Yao et al, 2020), America (Bavelier & Green, 2019), and Saudi Arabia (Alsaad et al, 2022). Referring to the average age of the participants, ranges, on the one hand, between 20 and 21 years (Alsaad et al, 2022; Antzaka et al, 2017; Föcker et al, 2019), and, on the other hand, it is situated in an average age greater than 22 years of age (Bavelier & Green, 2019; Gong et al, 2015, 2016; Klasen et al, 2012; Olfers & Band, 2018; Richlan et al, 2018). In the rest of the studies, the mean age of the participants is not specified (Gan et al, 2020; Steenbergen et al, 2015; Yao et al, 2020).…”

“…An article refers to care in general (Gan et al, 2020), and six of them to general care and the neurobiological substrate (Bavelier & Green, 2019;Föcker et al, 2019;Gong et al, 2015Gong et al, , 2016Klasen et al, 2012;Richlan et al, 2018). A total of three articles refer to the development of selective attention (Antzaka et al, 2017;Bavelier & Green, 2019;Yao et al, 2020), three of them to sustained attention (Alsaad et al, 2022;Olfers & Band, 2018;Steenbergen et al, 2015) and an article (Yao et al, 2020) is intended for the study of divided attention.…”

“…Specifically, from Germany (Klasen et al, 2012;Steenbergen et al, 2015), Netherlands (Olfers & Band, 2018), Austria (Richlan et al, 2018), United Kingdom (Föcker et al, 2019), and Spain (Antzaka et al, 2017). There are also several studies from China (Gan et al, 2020;Gong et al, 2015Gong et al, , 2016Yao et al, 2020), America (Bavelier & Green, 2019), and Saudi Arabia (Alsaad et al, 2022).…”