Factors Correlated with Violent Video Game Use by Adolescent Boys and Girls
Abstract
Purpose To compare the video and computer game play patterns of young adolescent boys and girls, including factors correlated with playing violent games.Methods Data collected in November/December, 2004 from children in grades 7 and 8 at two demographically diverse schools in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, using a detailed written self-reported survey.Results Of 1254 participants (53% female, 47% male), only 80 reported playing no electronic games in the previous 6 months. Of 1126 children who listed frequently played game titles, almost half (48.8%) played at least one violent (mature-rated) game regularly (67.9% of boys and 29.2% of girls). One third of boys and 10.7% of girls play games nearly every day; only 1 in 20 plays often or always with a parent. Playing M-rated games is positively correlated (p < .001) with being male, frequent game play, playing with strangers over the Internet, having a game system and computer in one's bedroom, and using games to manage anger.Conclusions Most young adolescent boys and many girls routinely play M-rated games. Implications for identifying atypical and potentially harmful patterns of electronic game use are discussed, as well as the need for greater media literacy among parents.
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Digital games are popular among young people, so they have a high potential to become valuable tools for mental therapy for teenagers and young adults.
“Given that digital games are popular among young people,48,49 they have a high potential to become valuable tools for mental therapy for teenagers and young adults.”
From Game-based digital interventions for depression therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2014) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- Olson, C. K., Kutner, L. A., Warner, D. E., Almerigi, J. B., Baer, L., Nicholi, A. M., & Beresin, E. V.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Michigan State University (US)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Olson, Cheryl K.
- ORCID
- Beresin, Eugene V.
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-07
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 77-83
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2104660530
- Cited by
- 182
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 37.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Keywords
- violent video games, adolescent gaming, gender differences, media literacy, parental involvement, anger management, computer game use, media effects on adolescents
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Psychology, Adolescent, Female, Humans, Male, Pennsylvania, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, South Carolina, Violence, Chi-Square Distribution, Logistic Models, Video Games
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