Compulsive gaming in secondary school students from five Peruvian cities: Usage and addiction to the Pokémon GO game
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Christian R. Mejia 1 * , Lienneke S. Mena 2, César A. Mogollón 3, Rocío Figueroa-Romero 4, Edgardo N. Hernández-Calderón 5, Andrés M. Aguilar-Fernández 6, Jhosselyn I. Chacon 7, Armando Miñan-Tapia 8, Marcos Roberto Tovani-Palone 9, Gustavo Hernández-Arriaga 10
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1 Universidad Continental, Lima, Peru2 Centro de Investigación y Estudios Médicos CIEM, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, Peru3 Sociedad Científica de Estudiantes de Medicina de Cajamarca, Universidad Nacional de Cajamarca, Cajamarca, Peru4 Centro de Investigación de Estudiantes de Medicina (CIESMED), Tacna, Peru5 Sociedad Científica de Estudiantes de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Piura, (SOCIEMUNP), Universidad Nacional de Piura, Piura, Peru6 Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru7 Asociación Médica de Investigación y Servicios en Salud, Lima, Peru8 Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Tacna, Peru9 Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil10 Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Católica de Honduras, San Pedro Sula, Honduras* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Introduction:
Some years ago, the Pokémon GO game became incredibly popular. However, no studies on the subject have been conducted in Peru involving vulnerable populations, such as adolescents.

Objective:
To determine if the number of hours playing the Pokémon GO game is associated with Internet and/or video game addiction, as well as to other factors in secondary school students from five Peruvian cities.

Material and methods:
Cross-sectional, analytical, and multi-centric study, with a sample of 944 school students. General characteristics, including socio-educational aspects, and Internet and/or video game addiction were analyzed, as well as variables related to the use of the game, such as problems at home, with teachers, accidents, and theft.

Results:
We found statistical associations between the assessed variables and increased playing time. 409 (44%) students had an Internet addiction, 215 (23%) were addicted to video games, and 336 (49%) spent a significant number of hours per day playing Pokémon GO. A greater number of hours playing Pokémon GO was associated with having a video game addiction (prevalence ratio (PR): 1,33; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-1.65), greater use of cell phone applications (PR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03), reprimand by parents (PR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.18), and reprimand for arriving late to class (PR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.07-1.18). On the other hand, students who played a greater number of video games used Pokémon GO by a lower number of hours (PR: 0,98; 95% CI: 0.97-0.99), adjusted by the respondent´s location.

Conclusion:
Higher usage levels of Pokémon GO were associated with having a video game addiction, greater use of phone applications, negative repercussions from parents, and reprimand for arriving late to class.

Keywords

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Original Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 16, Issue 5, October 2019, Article No: em164

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/114664

Publication date: 28 Nov 2019

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Article Downloads: 2442

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