Video gaming in a hyperconnected world : a cross-sectional study of heavy gaming, problematic gaming symptoms, and online socializing in adolescents

Aims: Examining online social interactions along with patterns of video gaming behaviors and game addiction symptoms has the potential to enrich our understanding of disorders related to excessive video game play. Methods: We performed latent class analysis in a sample of 9733 adolescents based on heavy use of games, social networking and instant messaging, and game addiction symptoms. We used latent class regression to determine associations between classes, psychosocial well-being and friendship quality. Results: We identified two types of heavy gaming classes that differed in probability of online social interaction. Classes with more online social interaction reported fewer problematic gaming symptoms than those with less online social interaction. Most adolescents estimated to be in heavy gaming classes had more depressive symptoms than normative classes. Male non-social gamers had more social anxiety. Female social gamers had less social anxiety and loneliness, but lower self-esteem. Friendship quality attenuated depression in some male social gamers, but strengthened associations with loneliness in some male non-social gamers. Conclusions: In adolescents, symptoms of video game addiction depend not only on video game play but also on concurrent levels of online communication, and those who are very socially active online report fewer symptoms of game addiction

Video gaming in a hyperconnected world: A cross-sectional study of heavy gaming, problematic gaming symptoms, and online socializing in adolescents

Aims Examining online social interactions along with patterns of video gaming behaviors and game addiction symptoms has the potential to enrich our understanding of disorders related to excessive video game play. Methods We performed latent class analysis in a sample of 9733 adolescents based on heavy use of games, social networking and instant messaging, and game addiction symptoms. We used latent class regression to determine associations between classes, psychosocial well-being and friendship quality. Results We identified two types of heavy gaming classes that differed in probability of online social interaction. Classes with more online social interaction reported fewer problematic gaming symptoms than those with less online social interaction. Most adolescents estimated to be in heavy gaming classes had more depressive symptoms than normative classes. Male non-social gamers had more social anxiety. Female social gamers had less social anxiety and loneliness, but lower self-esteem. Friendship quality attenuated depression in some male social gamers, but strengthened associations with loneliness in some male non-social gamers. Conclusions In adolescents, symptoms of video game addiction depend not only on video game play but also on concurrent levels of online communication, and those who are very socially active online report fewer symptoms of game addiction

Patterns and predictors of family environment among adolescents at high and low risk for familial bipolar disorder

Children's perceptions are important to understanding family environment in the bipolar disorder (BD) high-risk context. Our objectives were to empirically derive patterns of offspring-perceived family environment, and to test the association of family environment with maternal or paternal BD accounting for offspring BD and demographic characteristics. Participants aged 12–21 years (266 offspring of a parent with BD, 175 offspring of a parent with no psychiatric history) were recruited in the US and Australia. We modeled family environment using latent profile analysis based on offspring reports on the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, and Home Environment Interview for Children. Parent diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies and offspring diagnoses were based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children. Latent class regression was used to test associations of diagnosis and family environment. Two-thirds of all offspring perceived well-functioning family environment, characterized by nurturance, flexibility, and low conflict. Two ‘conflict classes’ perceived family environments low in flexibility and cohesion, with substantial separation based on high conflict with the father (High Paternal Conflict), or very high conflict and rigidity and low warmth with the mother (High Maternal Conflict). Maternal BD was associated with offspring perceiving High Maternal Conflict (OR 2.8, p = 0.025). Clinical care and psychosocial supports for mothers with BD should address family functioning, with attention to offspring perceptions of their wellbeing. More research is needed on the effect of paternal BD on offspring and family dynamics

Friendships matter: a cross-sectional latent class analysis of game addiction symptoms and online social interactions

We found that when combinations of online and gaming behaviors are considered as part of a PG syndrome, gamers could be clearly separated into social and non-social subgroups, with social classes reporting fewer feelings of problematic use at similar levels of play. These findings suggest that patterns of symptoms and gaming behavior thought to delineate problematic or disordered gaming are not independent of social online behaviors. The social subgroups may represent “engaged gamers” whose heavy gaming may be part of their active participation in a digital community. Before friendship quality was taken into account, all heavy gaming classes in both boys and girls were associated with more depressive symptoms. One possible explanation for this is heavy gamers feel depressed, and their heavy gaming, even with extensive social interaction, is not enough to relieve symptoms (Caplan, Williams, & Yee, 2009)

A Multi-Country Study of Risk and Protective Factors for Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among Early Adolescents

Purpose: Early adolescence (ages 10e14) is a critical period for psychosocial development, but few studies have focused on risk and protective factors for emergent psychosocial challenges among youth living in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored the contribution of social environmental factors to patterns of emotional and behavioral problems among early adolescents across four low- and middle-income countries. Methods: Participants were drawn from the Global Early Adolescent Study, and included 10,437 early adolescents from six low-resource urban settings in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Indonesia, and China. Multivariate latent class regression was used to examine the associations between distinct patterns of emotional and behavioral problems and risk and protective factors across the family, peer, school, and neighborhood levels. Results: Across countries, childhood adversity, peer bullying behaviors, and a perceived lack of school safety were consistently associated with emotional and behavioral problems. With some contextual variability, peer substance use and a perceived lack of neighborhood safety also emerged as significant risk factors. The magnitude of these associations was generally greatest among a subgroup of early adolescents with co-occurring emotional and behavioral problems. Discussion: The overall consistency of findings across countries is suggestive of the generalizability of risk factors in early adolescence and indicates that interventions bolstering psychosocial adjustment among this age group may have applicability in diverse cross-national settings. Given the significance of peer bullying behaviors and school safety, multicomponent school-based interventions may be an especially applicable approach

Prevention and promotion effects of Self Help Plus: secondary analysis of cluster randomised controlled trial data among South Sudanese refugee women in Uganda

Introduction: Evidence-based and scalable prevention and promotion focused mental health and psychosocial support interventions are needed for conflict-affected populations in humanitarian settings. This study retrospectively assessed whether participation in Self Help Plus (SH+) versus enhanced usual care (EUC) resulted in reduced incidence of probable mental disorder and increased positive mental health and well-being post-intervention among South Sudanese refugee women in Uganda. Methods: This study used secondary data from treatment-oriented pilot (n=50) and fully-powered cluster randomised controlled trials (cRCT)s (n=694) of SH+ versus EUC. Data from baseline and post-intervention assessments were combined. A composite latent indicator for mental health problems was generated using mental health and well-being measures included in both cRCTs. In order to assess incidence, a binary variable approximating probable mental disorder was created to exclude those with probable mental disorder from the analysis sample and as the primary prevention outcome. The promotive effects of SH+ relative to EUC were examined in the same sample by assessing subjective well-being and psychological flexibility scale scores. Results: A single factor for mental health problems was identified with all factor loadings >0.30 and acceptable internal consistency (α=0.70). We excluded 161 women who met criteria for probable mental disorder at baseline. Among those with at least moderate psychological distress but without probable mental disorder at baseline and with follow-up data (n=538), the incidence of probable mental disorder at post-intervention was lower among those who participated in SH+ relative to EUC (Risk ratio =0.16, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.53). Participation in SH+ versus EUC was also associated with increased subjective well-being (β=2.62, 95% CI: 1.63 to 3.60) and psychological flexibility (β=4.55, 95% CI: 2.92 to 6.18) at post-intervention assessment. Conclusions: These results support the use and further testing of SH+ as a selective and indicated prevention and promotion focused psychosocial intervention in humanitarian settings. Trial registration number: ISRCTN50148022