COMPUTER GAMING

ADDICTION

COMPUTER GAMING ADDICTION•Meaning• Symptoms• Positive Effects • Negative Effects • The Entertainment Software Rating Board

(ESRB)• Tips on managing your child's media

consumption

MEANING

• Video game addiction, or more broadly video game overuse.

• It is excessive or compulsive use of computer and video games that interferes with daily life.

• Playing compulsively, isolating themselves from family and friends or from other forms of social contact, and focus almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than other life events.

SYMPTOMS

Psychological Symptoms

Most non-school hours are spent on the computer or playing video games

Falling asleep in school

Falling behind with assignments

Worsening grades

Lying About Computer or Video Game Use

Choosing to Use The Computer or Play Video Games, Rather Than See Friends

Dropping Out of Other Social Groups (clubs or sports)

Being Irritable When Not Playing a Video Game or Being on the Computer

• Physical Symptoms

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Sleep Disturbances

• Backaches or Neck Aches

• Headaches

• Dry eyes and Failure to eat Regularly or Neglecting Personal Hygiene

POSITIVE EFFECTS• Following Instructions

• Problem Solving and Logic

• Hand-eye Coordination, Fine Motor and Spatial Skills.

• Resource Management and Logistics.

• Multitasking, Simultaneous racking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives.

• Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions.

• Teamwork and cooperation

NEGATIVE EFFECTS• Violence and Aggression

• Effects Academic Achievement

• Teach Wrong Values

• Bad Health Effects

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

• The ESRB is a self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA).

• It Rates all the computer Games.

• It considers the amount of violence, sex, controversial language and substance abuse found in a game.

CATEGORIES OF RATING• Early Childhood (EC)

• Everyone (E)

• Teen (T)

• Mature (M)

• Adults Only (AO)

Tips on Managing Your Child's Media Consumption

• Know the rating of the video games your child plays

• Do not install video game equipment in your child's bedroom

• Set limits on how often and how long your child is allowed to play video games.

• Monitor all of your child's media consumption -- video games, television, movies and Internet.

• Supervise your child's Internet use -- there are now many "video games" available for playing online.

• Share with other parents information about certain games or ideas for helping each other in parenting.

POINTS COVERED

• Meaning

• Symptoms

• Positive Effects

• Negative Effects

• The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

• Tips on managing your child's media consumption