Relationship between Online Game Addiction with Depression in Adolescents from 6 High Schools in Indonesia

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined online game addiction into one of the medical conditions in 2018 under the category of Gaming disorder. Playing online games excessively may be related to both physical and psychological health. The problem of online game addiction and its impact on adolescent’s mental health is still not sufficiently documented. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between online game addiction and depression in adolescents from 6 High Schools in 4 districts/cities of Indonesia. This study is a quantitative research with cross-sectional design as a further analysis of the 2019 School-Based Mental Health Intervention Study. This study involved students of grade 10 and 11 at 6 public high schools in Bogor Regency, Bogor City, City of Central and South Jakarta. The statistical analysis used was multiple logistic regression test. Out of 746 students, 12.9% were depressed and 10.3% were addicted to online games. There was a significant relationship between online game addiction towards depression with OR = 2.44 (95% CI: 1.259-4.735) after being controlled for sex, learning difficulties, age, father's education, and mother's education. Schools are the best institutions that can be used for adolescent depression screening. It is expected that provision of mental health service facilities in school as one of the strategies to overcome online gaming addictions.

Effects of Video Game Addiction on Mental Health

“…Furthermore, participation in psychological support groups and rehabilitation courses provides a platform for sharing experiences and mutual encouragement among addicts [15]. Regular evaluation of recovery plans is essential, and addicts can collaborate with therapists or supporters to assess progress and identify areas for improvement, enabling continuous refinement of the recovery program [16].…”

The Quality of Life of Adolescents Experiencing Online Game Addiction During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Moreover, the impact is likely to be greater in developing countries (Melo & Soares, 2020). As a result, there is a significant relationship between psychological stress, such as anxiety and depression, and online game addiction in adolescents (Carras et al, 2020;Fazeli et al, 2020;Sitorus et al, 2020).…”

“…Furthermore, adolescents are more at risk of experiencing online game addiction than adults (Choi et al, 2018). For instance, in Indonesia, it is estimated that 10.15 -10.3% of adolescents are addicted to online games (Jap et al, 2013;Sitorus et al, 2020). Adolescents are in a developmental period of searching for their identity, and their ability to reason logically is maturing during this time.…”

Adicción a los videojuegos y sociabilidad en estudiantes de colegios de la región San Martín

“…Pero una preocupación obsesiva por los juegos a expensas de las actividades u obligaciones de la vida real comparte algunas de las características del comportamiento adictivo (Barbon, 2021), pues en los adolescentes se pueden observar señales de advertencias clave que debe estar atento según lo indicado por Kocakoğlu, et al, (2020), como: rendimiento deficiente en la escuela, irresponsabilidades del hogar como resultado de la preocupación por los juegos, descuido de otros pasatiempos o amistades, un declive en la higiene personal o el aseo personal, incapacidad para establecer límites sobre la cantidad de tiempo que se dedica al juego (Anjasari, et al, 2020), signos de irritabilidad, ansiedad o enojo cuando se ve obligado a dejar de jugar (Sitorus, et al, 2020), síntomas de abstinencia física o psicológica como pérdida de apetito, insomnio, agitación o arrebatos emocionales si se le quita el juego (Caner & Evgin, 2021;Saddhono,et al, 2020).…”