Abolfotouh Mostafa A, Barnawi Najla A
King Abdullah International Medical Research Center/ King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh/ Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, 11426, Saudi Arabia.
Family Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2024 Nov 12;17:3889-3903. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S493776. eCollection 2024.
Understanding the prevalence and predictors of video game (VG) addiction is crucial in the Saudi context for improving the quality of life for adolescents and youths. We aim to determine the prevalence, types, and predictors of VG addiction disorders among Saudi adolescents using the validated Arabic-translated Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents (GASA).
A cross-sectional study of 787 adolescents was conducted via SurveyMonkey with the validated Arabic-translated GASA. The tool has seven domains, each containing three items, scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were collected on adolescent demographic characteristics (gender, age, education level, school performance, interaction, socialization, exercising, prayer, the parent's marital status, and education) and VG-related characteristics (age when child started playing VG, duration of playing VG per day, number of children in the family playing VG, parent's permission to play, parent's perception about the positive influence of VG). Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of VG addiction. Significance was considered at p < 0.05.
Of the 787 adolescents, 8.3% were addicted gamers, 33.4% were problem gamers, and 2.2% were highly engaged. Being an addicted gamer was significantly associated with male gender (OR = 1.36, p = 0.038), higher fathers' education (OR = 1.62, p = 0.001), and favorable perception of parents to VG (OR = 1.51, p = 0.007). When the ROC curve was applied, a cut-off score of 85 was the optimum GASA score above which the adolescent was likely to be an addicted gamer, with 76.9% sensitivity, 84.2% specificity, and an area under the curve of 88.5%.
Our study could be a pilot study for similar studies in other Arab countries. Potential community-based educational programs, parental involvement strategies, or activities to promote alternative hobbies of adolescents are recommended. Additional studies are necessary on how cultural differences might influence gaming addiction and the applicability of Western-based tools like GASA to Saudi contexts.
在沙特阿拉伯的背景下，了解电子游戏（VG）成瘾的患病率和预测因素对于提高青少年和青年的生活质量至关重要。我们旨在使用经过验证的阿拉伯语翻译版青少年游戏成瘾量表（GASA）来确定沙特青少年中VG成瘾障碍的患病率、类型和预测因素。
通过SurveyMonkey对787名青少年进行了一项横断面研究，使用经过验证的阿拉伯语翻译版GASA。该工具具有七个领域，每个领域包含三个项目，采用5点李克特量表评分。收集了青少年的人口统计学特征（性别、年龄、教育水平、学业成绩、互动、社交、锻炼、祈祷、父母的婚姻状况和教育程度）以及与VG相关的特征（孩子开始玩VG的年龄、每天玩VG的时长、家庭中玩VG的孩子数量、父母允许玩VG的情况、父母对VG积极影响的看法）。进行逻辑回归分析以确定VG成瘾的预测因素。p < 0.05被视为具有统计学意义。
在787名青少年中，8.3%是成瘾游戏玩家，33.4%是问题游戏玩家，2.2%是高度沉迷者。成为成瘾游戏玩家与男性性别（OR = 1.36，p = 0.038）、父亲较高的教育程度（OR = 1.62，p = 0.001）以及父母对VG的积极看法（OR = 1.51，p = 0.007）显著相关。当应用ROC曲线时，截断分数为85是最佳的GASA分数，高于该分数青少年可能是成瘾游戏玩家，敏感性为76.9%，特异性为84.2%，曲线下面积为88.5%。
我们的研究可以作为其他阿拉伯国家类似研究的试点研究。建议开展基于社区的潜在教育项目、家长参与策略或促进青少年替代爱好的活动。有必要进一步研究文化差异如何影响游戏成瘾以及像GASA这样基于西方的工具在沙特背景下的适用性。
