Abstract
Given the rapid growth of mobile games, one of the main purposes of this study is to analyze the effect of online gaming on addiction by classifying it into PC online gaming and mobile gaming. This study aims to analyze the extent to which playing games after midnight affects addictive behavior. In addition, this study analyzes the impact of game genres, parental factors, the leisure environment and relationship satisfaction on game addiction. About 1556 students living in five major Korean cities were sampled. Online game playing time was an important predictor of game addiction, especially among those who played PC online games late at night. Among the game genres, RPG, simulation and casual games were positively associated with addictive behavior. While play and the leisure environment had little effect on game addiction, the extent of satisfaction with relationships with parents, friends, and teachers did have a significant influence. However, parental attachment and parental mediation did not impact game addiction.
Disclosure statement
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
Funding information
This study was supported by Korea Institute for International Economic Policy in 2014. It is a part of research project titled “Comparative Study on Online Game Use of Korean and Chinese Adolescents and Policy on Prevention of Addiction and Its Cure”.