10% of young male teens are addicted to gaming

Gamer and controllerAlmost one in 10 boys aged 12 to 15 shows all the signs of being addicted to gaming, researchers at Utrecht University said on Tuesday. Girls are rarely affected.

The research, presented at a symposium organised by addiction clinic Trimbos Institute, showed that boys spend an average of 16 hours a week gaming, while for girls the figure is just 4.5 hours.

Those who show signs of addiction play at least 29 hours a week and there are some who claim 60 hours, researcher Regina van den Eijnden said in the Volkskrant.

The research also shows that youngsters who find it difficult to concentrate are more likely to become addicted to gaming. ‘We suspect some children use gaming as a sort of self-medication,’ Van den Eijnden said. ‘When they are playing they are not distracted by other impulses.’

Call of Dutch and Grand Theft Auto are the most popular games among young teenage boys, even though both have an 18 certificate.

Signs of game addiction include thinking constantly about gaming, feelings of frustration and unhappiness at not being able to play for a day and gaming to avoid negative emotions, the VK says.

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