Internet gaming addiction: a gender-based study of Indian adolescents

Abstract

Adolescence is the age an individual starts observing the experiences of life; the tribulations and ecstasies life has to offer. The age an individual starts to comprehend the phenomenon that life as a force will be the strongest in charting the time on earth there is to spend. This time can be beneficial and destructive for many. Getting influenced is easy, throughout life and higher during adolescent years as the mind is still underdeveloped. As we all are aware internet gaming is common among adolescents. And many adolescents are found to show an addictive behavior towards internet gaming.  So, the focus of the current research is on internet gaming addiction among Indian Adolescents. The objective of the research is to see the difference in the levels of internet gaming addiction among male and female Indian adolescents. The data of this research was collected using the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short Form 9 (IGD-SF9) by (Pontes & Griffiths, 2015). A random sample of 300 participants (between the age of 13 & 16) participated in the research. The research was conducted in Delhi NCR. To ascertain if there was any significant difference in the level of internet gaming addiction among male and female Indian adolescents, a t-test was used. Based on the result it was found that there is a significant difference in the level of internet gaming addiction among male and female Indian adolescents. With male adolescents being at high risk of developing internet gaming addiction.