Research Article - Current Pediatric Research (2021) Volume 25, Issue 10

Gaming addiction and its impact on emotional intelligence among school students during COVID – 19 pandemic.

Background: Internet addiction has become a major issue all over the world. Internet addiction in adolescents could be a serious crisis comparable to drug addiction in terms of personal life, family relationships, social behavior, and academic standing. According to scientific evidence, people with higher emotional intelligence are less addicted to the internet. However, the type and strength of this relationship are still up for debate. Our study aims to understand the level of emotional intelligence and online game use among adolescents and emotional intelligence based on gender with the level of gaming addiction.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 417 adolescent children of age 10-19 in the schools of Dharmapuri district from March 2021 to April 2021. Simple Random Sampling techquine is used to select the schools and students. Game Addiction Scale for Adolescent (Jeroen S. Lemmens et al) and 30 Item Emotional Intelligence Scale (TEIQue-SF) was used as a standard tool.

Results: A total of 471 children between the ages of 10 and 19 were included in the study. Game addiction received the lowest possible score of 21 and the best possible score of 105. The lowest possible score for emotional intelligence was 30, and the best possible score was 150. Males and girls had no statistically significant differences in gaming addiction and emotional intelligence at (p>0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.05) between tolerance and sociability, mood modification and self-control, relapse, and sociability.

Conclusion: Excessive time spent in front of a computer and web overuse may be harmful to various aspects of their lives, including social, functional, physical, and psychological aspects, and may cause them to neglect other important priorities, putting them at risk for a variety of morbidities and, in the worst-case scenario, mortality. Happiness includes a variety of positive emotional and cognitive states, as well as the absence of depression.

Author(s): Priyanka Krishnamoorthy, Kalpana B

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