BACKGROUND: Long screen time hours may be associated with behavioral problems in children. To better understand the relationship between children's behavioral problems and screen time, it the associated risk factors must be subdivided based on the purpose underlying screen use. This study examined the relationship between screen time based on intended usage and behavioral problems in Japan. METHODS: This study included 3,332 children aged between 7-17 years from the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health. From October 2020 to October 2021, the children and their parents answered questionnaires on the children's screen use duration (never used, <30 min, ≥30 min & <1 hour, ≥1 h & <2 h, ≥2 h) based on seven intended usage categories: watching television/video, video gaming, reading books/comics, sending/receiving e-mail/messages, browsing/posting on social networking services, studying for classes/homework, drawing/editing pictures/photos/videos, along with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between screen time, purpose of children's screen use, and behavioral problems across the 13 SDQ total scores. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation age of the participants was 12.4 ± 2.4-years-old, 487 (14.6%) children were determined to have behavioral problems, and the duration of screen time increased with their age. The children's primary purposes for screen use were watching television/video, video gaming, sending/receiving e-mail/messages, and browsing/posting on social networking services. Children who reported playing video games for ≥2 hours on weekdays had higher odds of problematic total difficulties scores than never user (Odds Ratio: 2.10, 95% confidence interval: 1.45-3.06). CONCLUSION Long video gaming screen time is associated with behavioral issues, hyperactivity/inattention, and prosocial behaviors in children. Conversely, watching television and videos for 30 min-1 h per day, using e-mail or messaging, and using social networking services were significantly association with reduced odds ratio for peer relationship problems as compared to children who never engaged in these activities. Longitudinal follow-up is needed to further examine screen time and problem behaviors.
Humans ; Screen Time ; Child ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Problem Behavior/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Child Behavior ; Television/statistics & numerical data* ; Video Games/statistics & numerical data*

INTRODUCTIONThe current study aimed to establish the prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) and its association with demographic characteristics, game genre, game use (time spent on gaming), as well as psychological distress, social phobia and well-being among current online gamers in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 1251 participants aged 13 to 40 years completed the study which was administered as a web survey. The online questionnaire was designed using QuestionPro, and consisted of 8 sections and 105 questions. The 9-item Internet Gaming Disorder Questionnaire was used to establish the prevalence of IGD in the study. A series of logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between IGD, demographic characteristics and game genre, as well as IGD and psychological distress, social phobia and well-being.

RESULTSThe prevalence of IGD established using a cutoff of 5 among those who were current online gamers was 17.7%. Multiple logistic regressions revealed that those meeting criteria of IGD were more likely to be older, reported an earlier age of onset of playing online games, had primary and secondary education versus tertiary education, were currently students versus being currently employed and played massively multiplayer online role-playing games. Distress and social anxiety were higher while satisfaction with life was significantly lower among those who met criteria for IGD than those who did not meet the criteria.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of IGD and its negative consequences in our sample of current online gamers was significant and point towards the need for further clinical studies and innovative interventions to address the problem.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Behavior, Addictive ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Educational Status ; Employment ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Internet ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Personal Satisfaction ; Phobia, Social ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Prevalence ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Students ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Video Games ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONIncrease in internet use and video-gaming contributes to public concern on pathological or obsessive play of video games among children and adolescents worldwide. Nevertheless, little is known about the prevalence of pathological symptoms in video-gaming among Singaporean youth and the psychometric properties of instruments measuring pathological symptoms in video-gaming.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA total of 2998 children and adolescents from 6 primary and 6 secondary schools in Singapore responded to a comprehensive survey questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, video-gaming habits, school performance, somatic symptoms, various psychological traits, social functioning and pathological symptoms of video-gaming. After weighting, the survey data were analysed to determine the prevalence of pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth and gender differences in the prevalence. The construct validity of instrument used to measure pathological symptoms of video-gaming was tested.

RESULTSOf all the study participants, 8.7% were classified as pathological players with more boys reporting more pathological symptoms than girls. All variables, including impulse control problem, social competence, hostility, academic performance, and damages to social functioning, tested for construct validity, were significantly associated with pathological status, providing good evidence for the construct validity of the instrument used.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence rate of pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth is comparable with that from other countries studied thus far, and gender differences are also consistent with the findings of prior research. The positive evidence of construct validity supports the potential use of the instrument for future research and clinical screening on Singapore children and adolescents' pathological video-gaming.

Adolescent ; Behavior, Addictive ; epidemiology ; pathology ; psychology ; Child ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Psychopathology ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Video Games ; adverse effects ; psychology