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Study Claims 8.5% of Young Gamers "Pathologically Addicted"

Posted by Soulskill on from the put-the-controller-down dept.

schnucki brings word of new research which claims roughly one in twelve American children between the ages of eight and 18 are "pathologically addicted" to video games. The study, conducted by Douglas Gentile, director of the National Institute on Media and the Family at Iowa State University, says that "pathological status was a significant predictor of poorer school performance even after controlling for sex, age, and weekly amount of video-game play." However, Professor Cheryl Olson, who has conducted her own research into video game use, questioned Gentile's methodology, saying, "The author is repurposing questions used to assess problem gambling in adults; however, lying to your spouse about blowing the rent money on gambling is a very different matter from fibbing to your mom about whether you played video games instead of starting your homework."

6 of 296 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Fffft, such a load of bull by Chrisq · · Score: 3, Funny

    Guess the blown vacuum tube?

    That wasn't just a game, you could get paid for that

  2. Re:Pfff by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    > some are destined for prison, and some are entrepreneurs who break the rules of the system

    I hear all those people in prison are really 'entrepreneurs who break the rules of the system'.

  3. You're Kidding Me Right? by CyberSlammer · · Score: 4, Funny

    I played video games as a teenager and it never affected me at all HEAD SHOT!!! as a matter of fact my grades were above average MULTI KILL!!! and I feel that it's totally fine for kids to play video games as long as they get their homework done WICKED SICK!!!!

  4. Oh sweet irony by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Jack Thompson must just love that this has come out just after his appeal was rejected without hearing...

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  5. Re:Begging the Question by gadget+junkie · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd discipline my son when he lies about homework, if only I could quit playing COD4.

    --
    "If a boss demands loyalty, give him integrity. But if he demands integrity, give him loyalty." (John Boyd, 1927-1997)
  6. Re:Lies, damned lies, and money. by Fred_A · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wrong. Parents and taxpayers sacrifice money, time and effort to pay for education; if students are too addicted to X to learn anything then it's money down the drain just like gambling.

    People have a voluntary choice whether to gamble or not. Teenage students and school, not so much.

    Quite so.
    Fight school addiction ! It's not too late !

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