Original article
Compulsive Internet Use: The Role of Online Gaming and Other Internet Applications

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.12.021Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

Increasing research on Internet addiction makes it necessary to distinguish between the medium of Internet and its specific applications. This study explores the relationship between time spent on various Internet applications (including online gaming) and Compulsive Internet Use in a large sample of adolescents.

Methods

The 2007 (N = 4,920) and 2008 (N = 4,753) samples of a longitudinal survey study among adolescents were used, as well as the 2007–2008 cohort subsample (N = 1421). Compulsive Internet Use was predicted from the time spent on the various Internet applications in two cross-sectional multiple linear regression models and one longitudinal regression model in which changes in behavior were related to changes in Compulsive Internet Use.

Results

In both samples, downloading, social networking, MSN use, Habbo Hotel, chatting, blogging, online games, and casual games were shown to be associated with Compulsive Internet Use. Off these, online gaming was shown to have the strongest association with Compulsive Internet Use. Moreover, changes in online gaming were most strongly associated with changes in Compulsive Internet Use over time for the longitudinal cohort.

Conclusions

A clear relationship was shown between online gaming and Compulsive Internet Use. It is further argued that a subgroup of compulsive Internet users should be classified as compulsive online gamers.

Section snippets

Procedure

The Dutch “Monitor Study Internet and Youth” provided data for the current study [16]. This ongoing longitudinal study uses stratified sampling to select schools for participation based on region, urbanization, and education level. Participating classes are included on a school-wide basis, and repeated yearly participation in the study is encouraged.

Every year, participating adolescents fill out a 1-hour questionnaire in the classroom, supervised by a teacher. Written instructions are provided

Results

Table 1 shows the number of days per week adolescents spend on various Internet applications, and the percentage of adolescents using the application. Almost all adolescents use both MSN and surfing, while a smaller group uses online games. The percentage of adolescents using social networking shows a 20% increase between T1 and T2.

Table 2 presents exploratory correlations between days spent on Internet activities at T1 and T2. Neither online games nor browser games have a strong positive

Discussion

This study shows that various Internet applications are associated with CIU. In our adolescent sample downloading, social networking, MSN use, Habbo Hotel, chatting, blogging, online games, and casual games are all associated with CIU. However, at both T1 and T2 the regression model shows “online gaming” to be most strongly associated with CIU, confirming our first hypothesis. No relationship was found between CIU and surfing or emailing, although surfing is one of the most popular activities

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the following organizations for funding data collection of the Monitor Study Internet and Youth: Netherlands organization for health research and development (ZonMw), Volksbond Foundation Rotterdam, Addiction Care North Netherlands, Novadic Kentron Addiction Care, Kennisnet Foundation, Tactus Addiction Care, and De Hoop Foundation. In addition, the authors thank Leonard Vanbrabant (Utrecht University) for his assistance during the drafting and editing phase.

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