According to a study of more than 2,000 adolescents, 14% of weekly video game players are in a situation of problematic use. She draws up her robot portrait.
Computer, smartphone, console, tablet … frequenting screens is one of the favorite pastimes of adolescents today. A situation that encourages questions from experts (but also parents) on possible disorders induced by the assiduous use of screens. And in the opinion of some authors of work (Inserm), they seem to multiply in France.
In this context, theFrench Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) initiated (1), for the first time, a survey on screen practices (in particular video games) during the 2013/2014 school year in 15 secondary schools (from 4th to 4th grade). of 1st) of the Paris region. Unpublished results collected from more than 2,000 students.
Boys more addicted to screens …
First of all, the PELLEAS survey (2) reveals that surfing the Internet for fun and playing a video game are at the top of the screen practices among teenagers. The other activities are watching TV, participating in social networks, participating in forums or chats and sending emails.
In addition, the time devoted to this type of leisure is roughly equivalent between middle and high school, except for social networks, attended every week by 8 out of 10 high school students, against 7 out of 10 middle school students. boys, except sending mails.
… and especially video games
With regard to video games, more than 8 in 10 young people say they play them at least once a week in college and high school. Here again, there are significantly more college students than college girls. (94% vs 84%). And in high school, the male over-representation is even more marked (92% vs 78%). This predominance of boys is further accentuated when we ask young people if they have played more than 4 video games in the week.
On the other hand, boys seem to be more attracted to adult games. As early as middle school, more than eight out of ten boys have already played a game rated PEGI 18, that is to say not recommended for minors. They are even more numerous in high school (nearly 90%). “Most boys’ games, such as some shooter, adventure or role-playing games, are rated PEGI 18, especially because of their violent nature. “
14% of weekly gamers have problematic use
In this context, these young people were also questioned about the 7 items of an early identification scale for problematic video game use. It is about the scale known as “Lemmens” which sought to determine if they had ever failed to reduce their playing time, to spend more and more time there, to think completely. during the day at a video game, neglecting other activities in order to be able to continue playing, playing to forget “real life”, having suffered comments from those around them about their practice or feeling ill at ease. case of inability to play.
As a result, a minority of young people report several of these situations and, with regard to the criteria of this scale, 14% of weekly gamblers are in a situation of problematic gambling.
But “given the regional nature of the study and its objectives (which were not to quantify the phenomenon but to describe the profiles of problematic use), this figure must be interpreted with caution”, specify the authors.
The profile of the subject at risk
In addition, a number of factors associated with problematic use have been identified. In addition to the genre, therefore, having your own game console, and playing a large number of games are positively linked to problematic use in adolescence. Ditto for teens in a situation of discomfort or “depression”, or those who have already repeated a year or who have parents themselves “often” or “very often” connected.
Finally, the profiles of problem gamblers are more often found among young people with weak parental supervision. For example those who say that their parents do not know where they are at night. “Adolescents who indicate that they cannot easily talk to their parents, nor find comfort from them are also more prone to problematic gambling behaviors,” the OFDT concludes.
(1) With the consultation of young consumers (CJC) of the Center Pierre-Nicole (75005) of the French Red Cross
(2) Study program on the links and impact of screens on school-going adolescents
.