title: Problematic digital gaming behavior and its relation to the psychological, social and physical health of Finnish adolescents and young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify problematic gaming behavior among Finnish adolescents and young adults, and evaluate its connection to a variety of psychological, social, and physical health symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample of 293 respondents aged from 13 to 24 years. Participants completed an online survey. Problematic gaming behavior was measured with the Game Addiction Scale (GAS). Self-reports covered health measures such as psychological health (psychopathological symptoms, satisfaction with life), social health (preferences for social interaction), and physical health (general health, Body Mass Index [BMI], body discomfort, physical activity).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Problematic gaming behavior was found to relate to psychological and health problems, namely fatigue, sleep interference, depression and anxiety symptoms. Multiple linear regression indicated that the amount of weekly gaming, depression and a preference for online social interaction predicted increased problematic gaming symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research emphasized that problematic gaming behavior had a strong negative correlation to a variety of subjective health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Oulu University of Applied Sciences , Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Männikkö
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Experimental Psychopathology, Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Catholic University of Louvain , Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Billieux
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital , Medical Research Center, Finland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kääriäinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D000068957:Games, Recreational / Q000523:psychology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009043:Motor Activity; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011599:Psychopathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D057566:Self Report; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018910:Video Games / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: health; problematic game behavior; problematic gaming