Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2017.302

CORRELATES OF PROBLEMATIC GAMING – IS THERE SUPPORT FOR PRONENESS TO RISKY BEHAVIOUR?

Daniela Šincek orcid.org/0000-0001-8011-3280 ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Jasmina Tomašić Humer ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Ivana Duvnjak orcid.org/0000-0001-8420-2125 ; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia

Abstract

Background: This paper explores problematic Internet gaming in the context of other forms of risky behaviour. The basic
premise is that children and adolescents at risk will display different types of risky behaviour in various settings.
Subjects and methods: Children and adolescents (N=1150) were surveyed about (cyber)violence, problematic gaming (habits,
motives and symptoms), self-disclosure via Facebook and self-esteem.
Results: Regular gamers were more violent both face-to-face and via the Internet, and were more prone to problematic gaming
than occasional gamers. Those who played games for more than five hours per day (9% of respondents) were classified as
potentially problematic gamers. They experienced and committed more violence both face-to-face and via the Internet, were more
involved in self-disclosure and had more problematic gaming symptoms than those who played for less than five hours a day, but
these groups did not differ in self-esteem. Participants could choose from a list of eight different motives for their gaming; those
motivated by peer communication, a sense of control, relaxation, conformism, self-efficacy and to distract from problems reported
more symptoms of problematic gaming than those not motivated by these factors. Gender, age, self-esteem, self-disclosure and
committing violence contributed to explaining the variance in problematic gaming, accounting for about 26% of its variance. Boys,
lower self-esteem, more self-disclosure and committing both types of violence more regularly were connected with reporting more
symptoms of problematic gaming. The results will be discussed in the context of a general proneness to risky behaviour.
Conclusion: Committing violence against peers (both traditional and cyber) predicts significantly problematic gaming. This
supports the premise that children and adolescents at risk are prone to exhibiting different forms of risky behaviour in different
settings.

Keywords

problematic gaming; cyber violence; self-disclosure; risky behaviour

Hrčak ID:

187290

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/187290

Publication date:

26.9.2017.

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