Computerspielabhängigkeit bei Kindern und Jugendlichen – ein Überblick

Video Games in ADHD and Non-ADHD Children: Modalities of Use and Association With ADHD Symptoms

Video game addiction in young children is relevant, but it is especially important for children with ADHD. In order to obtain more data about the use of video games by Canadian children, and in particular by ADHD children, we explored the modalities of use (playtime, addiction score and usage by age) and compared them between ADHD and non-ADHD children. We then examined associations between addiction and ADHD symptoms and explored innovative results about the gender impact. Our study was cross-sectional, multicenter in child psychiatrist departments, exploratory and descriptive. We recruited three groups of children aged 4-12 years: the ADHD Group, the Clinical-Control Group and the Community-Control Group. For each group, the material used consisted of questionnaires completed by one of the parents. Data collection took place from December 2016 to August 2018 in Montreal (n = 280). Our study highlighted a vulnerability in ADHD children: they would exhibit more addictive behaviors with respect to video games (Addiction score: 1.1025 in ADHD Group vs. 0.6802 in Community-Control Group) and prolonged periods of use. We also observed a correlation between the severity of ADHD symptoms and excessive use of video games (p = 0.000). Children with severe ADHD showed significantly higher addiction scores and, in a multiple regression analysis a combination of gender and ADHD explained the excessive use of video games.

Metabolic and Endocrine Changes Determined in Saliva of Adolescents Engaged in Computer Gaming

Passion for computer games negatively affects the health level of schoolchildren. Among the approaches to monitoring the functional state of such schoolchildren, the most informative and painless is the study of the saliva. The study involved 45 children, aged 14.00 ± 0.21 years, and divided according to the contact's intensity with computer games. The following indicators of lipid peroxidation (LPO) were determined in the saliva: indicators of the antioxidant (AO) system, concentration of immunoglobulin A, and hormonal indicators. The significant increases in the catecholamine (adrenaline) level for 2.3 times and biogenic amine-serotonin for 35.5% and increase in the LPO-DC product concentration in gamers for 75.8% were revealed. The study of the schoolchildren's homeostasis peculiarities confirmed the adequacy of the use of biochemical techniques to assess the condition of children gamers. They have a prenosological condition. This is reflected in the increase in LPO intensity, failure of the protective AO system, imbalance of hormonal state, and immunity deterioration. Information on the evaluation of the LPO activity processes and the AO system condition and the degree of the balance's shift between prooxidants and antioxidants in biological substrates can be considered objective and very sensitive indicators of the general condition, activity, and improvement of the regulation and maintenance of homeostasis.