title: Physiological indicators of pathologic video game use in adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pathologic video game use (PVGU) has been associated with a host of negative psychological, physical, and social outcomes during adolescence; however, little research has examined physiological predictors of such use. The purpose of the study was to examine physiological predictors of the development of PVGU across adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The article involves a 1-year longitudinal study across midadolescence. Participants were 374 adolescents and their parents from a large metropolitan area in the Northwest United States. PVGU was assessed via questionnaire, as were a number of control variables. A number of physiological indicators including respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and galvanic skin conductance (indices of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system activity, respectively) were measured during baseline, a cognitively stimulating task (Rubik's cube), and a family problem-solving task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Less RSA withdrawal to a cognitively simulating task was related to greater pathologic video game symptoms, but less RSA withdrawal to a family problem-solving task was associated with the presence of pathologic video game symptoms (p < .05). For girls only, galvanic skin conductance activation during the family problem solving was related to greater pathologic video game symptoms (p < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that adolescents who do not find cognitive tasks stimulating physiologically have a greater severity of PVGU. Additionally, adolescents who show physiological signs of stress in a family task were more likely to have PVGU symptoms and only girls have more severe PVGU levels. This study is the first to show that physiological indicators predict PVGU over time in adolescence and has important implications regarding the prevention and treatment of PVGU in adolescence.
authors.affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. Electronic address: smcoyne@byu.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Coyne
authors.affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors.forename: W Justin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Densley
authors.affiliation: Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Phoenix, Arizona.
authors.forename: Nathan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Money
authors.affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors.forename: Randal D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Day
authors.affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011584:Psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adolescence; Computer game; Internet addiction; Media; Pathologic; Physiology; Video game