HKU survey reveals gaming addiction problem among Hong Kong upper primary students

The Social and Health Psychology Laboratory of the Department of Psychology at the University of Hong Kong conducted a “Survey on the Gaming Habits among Hong Kong Upper Primary students” from March to May in 2017. A total of 2,006 Primary 4 to 6 students were surveyed. Results reveal that the problem of gaming addiction is prevalent among the students. Special attention should be paid to the high prevalence of exposure to violent video games reported by the respondents.

The phenomenon of gaming addiction has aroused concerns among medical and mental health professionals. The American Psychiatric Association, which possesses strong global influences in the medical profession, is advocating additional research into this condition and may possibly classify it as a formal mental problem in the future. Thus, apart from gambling addiction, gaming addiction may become the second mental problem classified under behavioural impulse control disorder.

The association’s publication “Manual on Diagnosis and Statistics of Mental Disorders” covers important criteria for the diagnosis of mental illnesses, which are adopted in many countries and regions in the world (including Hong Kong). In its fifth edition published in 2013, gaming addiction refers to uncontrollable and persistent engaging in gaming, leading to significant impairment. Thus, gaming addiction could be regarded as a psychologically pathological behaviour, which is worth attention.

The survey aimed at understanding students’ habits of gaming, which included playing video games through computers, mobile phones and consoles, but excluded cyber surfing. Based on the survey findings, nearly 10% of the student were estimated to be at risk or might have been addicted. The three most common characteristics of addiction among the students were:

1.      I realise that I spend too much time playing video games (60.3% answered “Yes”)
2.      Want to play video games again after I am done playing video games. (55.2 % answered “Yes”)
3.      When I am not playing video games, I think about video games. (34.6% answered “Yes”)

Students are also revealed to have spent too much time playing video games. On average, the students polled played video games 3.6 days a week and spent 8 hours a week on gaming. For the male respondents, they even spent 11 hours on gaming on average and 13.9% of them spent over 21 hours per week on gaming, which means over 3 hours per day on average.

Past studies suggested that violent video games may influence children’s temperament, make them feel irritable, or desensitised to violence and thus agree with violence. About a quarter (24.8%) of the students polled said the video games they played often or always showed violent images.  Over 40% male students said they played violent games. Higher addiction level was exhibited among the students who played violent video games more frequently. However, a more detailed relationship between violent games and addiction remains to be further investigated.

Professor Cecilia Cheng, who led the study, considers that the prevalence of gaming addiction among Hong Kong students deserves greater public concern.

Professor Cheng said: “The amount of time that children spend on gaming, the addiction that they are experiencing and the prevalence of exposure to violent video games all deserve greater public concern. Children’s physical health, mental health, and daily functioning may be impaired. For the well-being of our next generation, some effective preventive measures must be implemented to reduce the risk of gaming addiction among children.”

From 2015 to 2017, the research team visited a number of schools in Hong Kong to promote a Game Over Programme (GOP), a pilot universal preventive intervention on gaming addiction among upper primary school students. The programme aims at assisting parents in dealing with children’s gaming problems through short courses, and in the long run, maintaining intimate relationships with children as well as helping children to develop healthy lifestyles.

A total of 229 parents participated in the project. They were assigned to attend the GOP course or the control course. Regarding the effectiveness, both GOP and control course significantly reduced children’s gaming time. However, the GOP course has shown better improvement in children’s gaming habits in the long run.

Being concerned about the needs of children and parents, the research team launched a Game Over Programme (GOP) website (www.psychology.hku.hk/qefgop) to provide information and downloadable resources for the prevention of gaming addiction.  The website was kick-started today (June 20) to provide background information about the project initially and will be fully launched in early August.

At present, the “Health School Policy” implemented by the Education Bureau focuses on combating drug abuse, offering advice on risk management and providing support to schools to prevent drug abuse in youth. The research team believes that the Government should also recognise and face the problem of gaming addiction in children that in the long run, the Government should consider including prevention of gaming addiction in the “Health School Policy”, so that students in need can receive relevant preventive education as well as professional counselling and assistance.

For the major findings and conclusion of  “Survey on the Gaming Habits among Hong Kong Upper Primary Students”, and details of the Game Over Programme (GOP) and recommendations, please click here.

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