Examination of the relationship between health promotion behavior and game addiction in adolescents

Objectives

Adolescence is defined as the transition period from childhood to adulthood. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between health promotion behavior and game addiction in a sample of Turkish adolescents.

Methods

The sample consisted of 340 adolescents aged 10–14 years (50.70 % boys). We collected the data using the ‘Adolescent Health Promotion Scale’ and ‘Adolescent Game Addiction Scale’ (Short Form).

Results

It was determined that 87.3 % of the adolescents played digital games. Adolescents with chronic diseases and poor health status had higher digital game addiction scale scores (p < 0.05). There is a significant difference between health promotion behaviors of adolescents according to age, mother's education level, income level, health perception, and duration of playing digital games (p < 0.05). There is a significant difference between the mean scores of adolescents' game addiction scale and life appreciation (p < 0.01), health responsibility (r_Spearman = −0.290, p < 0.01), exercise (r_Spearman = −0.154, p < 0.01), stress management (r_Spearman = −0.122, p < 0.01), nutrition sub-dimension (r_Spearman = −0.200, p < 0.01) and total mean scores (r_Spearman = −0.257, p < 0.01). The results of the regression analysis showed that the adolescent's health promotion behaviors predicted digital game addiction (p < 0.01). In terms of self-esteem in children, only the health responsibility of the adolescents was a significant predictor (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Knowing the factors affecting adolescents' health promotion behaviors and game addiction is very important for pediatric nurses to identify adolescents who are at risk for game addiction and take necessary precautions.