Association of Gaming and Quality of Life among Thai Adolescents
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Abstract
Objective: To investigate the association between different gaming groups (addicted, problematic, and non-addicted) and the quality of life domains: physical health, mental health, education, social functioning, and overall well-being.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey of Thai adolescents aged 13 - 18 years, from January 20 - 23, 2024. The research instruments included demographic data, a game addiction screening test, and the Gamers’ Quality of Life Scales. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the association between the gaming groups and quality of life.
Results: Of the 326 participants, 53.15 were male with a mean age of 16.2 years. The prevalence rates for the addicted, problematic, and non-addicted gaming groups were 15.6%, 25.5%, and 58.9% respectively. The results showed that the non-addicted gaming group had a better quality of life in the physical health, mental health, education, and overall domains compared to the problematic gaming group. Furthermore, the non-addicted gaming group had superior outcomes in all domains of quality of life compared to the addicted gaming group.
Conclusion: Thai adolescents in the problematic gaming group had a worse quality of life in the physical health, mental health, and education domains compared to the non-addicted gaming group. Additionally, both the problematic and addicted gaming groups had poorer quality of life in the mental health and social domains than the non-addicted group.
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