Video game addiction

Abstract

Video game addiction refers to a persistent and maladaptive pattern of video game playing behavior. Although video game addiction is not currently recognized by mental health authorities such as the American Psychiatric Association or the World Health Organization, many researchers believe that video game playing behavior can be potentially addictive for some individuals. This chapter presents a critical summary of the clinical features of video game addiction, the prevalence, course, and onset of the disorder, and the known effects of video game addiction on health and psychosocial functioning. Information on effective treatment of the disorder is currently limited. This chapter also provides an overview of the demographic profile and dispositional characteristics of persons addicted to video games, as well as the structural features of video games that may make them addictive. There is currently a need for epidemiological and prospective longitudinal studies to determine the incidence and lifetime prevalence of clinically significant problems associated with video game play in the general population.