The goal of the research was to determine the association between a variety of factors and amount of time per week on the computer and electronic games. Participants (aged 13–17 years and residing in the United States) were recruited via the Internet to complete an anonymous survey on line using a survey tool. The target sample of 200 participants who completed the survey was achieved. The sample's average age was 16 predominantly female (63% girls). A series of regressions with computer use and electronic games hours per week as dependent variables were run. Based on the results, boys engaged in many of the computer and electronic game activities more hours per week than girls. Neck and shoulder pain were implicated in greater use of computers and the Internet. Reading level was positively associated with computer use while math level had a negative association with computer use. These findings seem to suggest that greater computer and electronic use are associated with a number of negative factors and some positive. 1. Introduction Very little research focuses on factors related to adolescent computer use and electronic game use. Some consider excessive video game or Internet game use to be a form of addiction [1, 2]. The relationship between initiation or current past month substance use with greater computer/electronic game use may be a case of associating problem behaviors based on a problem behavior theory approach [3]. Video game use was linked to greater drug use, drinking behaviors (alcohol use) among young adults [4]. Internet use itself may involve exposure to tobacco and alcohol products through advertising on line and product placement in uploaded videos on popular sites. An earlier study found that past month drinkers used the computer more frequently per week excluding school but not for school work [5]. The overall issue of addiction related to computer use remains controversial, thus examining other factors related to adolescent computer and electronic game use would be most enlightening. Using the Internet for school fostered positive aspects [4]. Use of computer games was associated with lower academic performance [6], and excessive electronic game use among Thai adolescents was associated with lower grades [7]. More research needs to determine if the school use versus nonschool/recreational matters in the relationship between electronic use and educational measures. Other research found that frequent computer-related activities were an independent risk factor for neck-shoulder pain and lower back pain among Finnish adolescents [8].
References
[1]
J. S. Lemmens, P. M. Valkenburg, and J. Peter, “Development and validation of a game addiction scale for adolescents,” Media Psychology, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 77–95, 2009.
[2]
B. D. Ng and P. Wiemer-Hastings, “Addiction to the Internet and online gaming,” Cyberpsychology and Behavior, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 110–113, 2005.
[3]
R. Jessor, “Risk behavior in adolescence: a psychosocial framework for understanding and action,” Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 12, no. 8, pp. 597–605, 1991.
[4]
L. M. Padilla-Walker, L. J. Nelson, J. S. Carroll, and A. C. Jensen, “More than a just a game: video game and internet use during emerging adulthood,” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 103–113, 2010.
[5]
J. A. Epstein, “Adolescent computer use and alcohol use: what are the role of quantity and content of computer use?” Addictive Behaviors, vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 520–522, 2011.
[6]
T. Willoughby, “A short-term longitudinal study of internet and computer game use by adolescent boys and girls: prevalence, frequency of use, and psychosocial predictors,” Developmental Psychology, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 195–204, 2008.
[7]
S. Jaruratanasirikul, K. Wongwaitaweewong, and P. Sangsupawanich, “Electronic game play and school performance of adolescents in southern Thailand,” Cyberpsychology and Behavior, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 509–512, 2009.
[8]
P. T. Hakala, A. H. Rimpel？, L. A. Saarni, and J. J. Salminen, “Frequent computer-related activities increase the risk of neck-shoulder and low back pain in adolescents,” European Journal of Public Health, vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 536–541, 2006.
[9]
E. Heins, C. Seitz, J. Schüz et al., “Bedtime, television and computer habits of primary school children in Germany,” Gesundheitswesen, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 151–157, 2007.
[10]
K. L. Knutson and D. S. Lauderdale, “Sociodemographic and behavioral predictors of bed time and wake time among US adolescents aged 15 to 17 years,” Journal of Pediatrics, vol. 154, no. 3, pp. 426–e1, 2009.
[11]
D. C. Mutz, D. F. Roberts, and D. P. van Vuuren, “Reconsidering the displacement hypothesis: television's influence on children's time use,” Communication Research, vol. 20, pp. 51–75, 1993.
[12]
T. A. Barnett, J. O'Loughlin, C. M. Sabiston et al., “Teens and screens: the influence of screen time on adiposity in adolescents,” American Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 172, no. 3, pp. 255–262, 2010.
[13]
M. Van Selm and N. W. Jankowski, “Conducting online surveys,” Quality and Quantity, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 435–456, 2006.
[14]
J. Cohen, P. Cohen, S. G. West, and L. S. Aiken, Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Analysis, Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, USA, 3rd edition, 2003.
[15]
H. Rees and J. M. Noyes, “Mobile telephones, computers, and the Internet: sex differences in adolescents' use and attitudes,” Cyberpsychology and Behavior, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 482–484, 2007.
