HOME VIDEO GAME PLAYING IN SCHOOLCHILDREN - A STUDY OF INCIDENCE AND PATTERNS OF PLAY

The recent increase in the home video games market has resulted in the ready availability of such games. This study attempted to quantify th e extent of home video game playing in a typical population of 11-16-y ear-olds (429 males and 387 females). Of the children questioned 77.2% played video games. The most common pattern of play was daily with mo st of the players playing for between one half and one hour per day. A small population of players (7.5% of players: 5.7% of total sample) w as identified whose behaviour might be considered to be addictive. (C) 1995 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents