No abstract

The activity of play has endured throughout human history and more recently, the Internet has emerged as a playground increasingly populated by gamblers, gamers, shoppers, and social networkers. Research suggests that a minority of online users experience symptoms traditionally associated with substance-related addictions, including mood modification, tolerance, conflict, and salience. Previous research suggests that a combination of individual, situational, and structural characteristics determine whether, and to what extent, individuals engage in various online activities. For instance, it is believed that access, affordability, and anonymity are critical factors that make the Internet viable for the acquisition, development, and maintenance of online addictions. Since the current scientific knowledge of online addiction is copious in scope and appears relatively complex, this paper examines a selection of the main debates in the field, the conceptualization of excessive online behavior as an addiction, and other key controversies.

No abstract

No abstract

Study Objectives:To investigate (i) the prevalence and incidence of online and video gaming disorder in an African population, and (ii) whether gaming is associated with sleep disorders and psychopathological symptoms, including anxiety and depression.Methods: Data were collected in South Africa, Cameroon, Morocco, Rwanda, Tunisia, Gabon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal. Participants were students aged of 24 ± 2.8 years. Problematic gaming, sociodemographic items, insomnia, associated comorbities, depression and anxiety were measured. The effect of continuous gaming time (after 1, 6 and 12 months) on severity of sleep disorders and the distribution of gamers per country and per type of device were also calculated.Results: African gamers expressed a preference for online gaming more than video gaming. Men played video games for an average of 14 hours per week, and women for around three hours per week. The smartphone was the favourite gaming tool for both men and women. Effect of continuous gaming time on the decrease of sleep is significant (F (2.1) = 40.26; p < 0.001). After 1 month, participants has no clinical insomnia, but after 6 months they developed subthreshold insomnia and clinical moderate insomnia. Problematic gaming was not associated with anxiety and depression but was associated with an increased of musculoskeletal impairments.Conclusions: After 6 months of continuous gaming time, sleep is affected. Problematic gaming, regardless if it is video or online; induced a clinical insomnia. The more months a participant spent gaming, the higher the chance for experiencing sleep disorder symptoms.