title: Effects of adolescent online gaming time and motives on depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether adolescent online gaming time and the additive effect of gaming motives were associated with depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms. The hypothesis was that adolescents who engage in online gaming with escape motives and increased online gaming time have higher probability for depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms compared to adolescents with other online gaming motives and/or less online gaming time.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous and voluntary questionnaire was completed during class hours by 7,757 Swedish adolescents aged 13-18 years. The questionnaire included demographic background, gaming habits, and depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that increased online gaming time during weekdays increased the probability of having depressive, musculoskeletal, and psychosomatic symptoms. However, these relations with time spent gaming were further explained by online gaming motives. Weekday online gaming for more than five hours a day, in combination with escape motives, was associated with an increased probability of depressive symptoms (odds ratio (OR) 4.614, 95% CI 3.230-6.590), musculoskeletal symptoms (OR 2.494, 95% CI 1.598-3.892), and psychosomatic symptoms (OR 4.437, 95% CI 2.966-6.637). The probability of ill health decreased when gaming was for fun or had social motives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Excessive gaming time and escape motives were found to be associated with increased probability of ill health among adolescents. Gaming motives may identify gamers in need of support to reduce unhealthy gaming behaviour as well as identify individuals at risk for ill health.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Västmanland County Hospital , S-72189 Västerås, Sweden.|b 2 School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University , S-72123 Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hellström
authors.affiliation: a 1 Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Västmanland County Hospital , S-72189 Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kent W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: a 1 Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Västmanland County Hospital , S-72189 Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leppert
authors.affiliation: a 1 Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, Västmanland County Hospital , S-72189 Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Åslund
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adolescent; computer games; depression; health; musculoskeletal symptoms; psychosomatic symptoms