Video Game Use in Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, or Typical Development

OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to examine video game use in boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with those with ADHD or typical development (TD) and to examine how specific symptoms and game features relate to problematic video game use across groups. METHODS: Participants included parents of boys (aged 8–18) with ASD (n = 56), ADHD (n = 44), or TD (n = 41). Questionnaires assessed daily hours of video game use, in-room video game access, video game genres, problematic video game use, ASD symptoms, and ADHD symptoms. RESULTS: Boys with ASD spent more time than did boys with TD playing video games (2.1 vs 1.2 h/d). Both the ASD and ADHD groups had greater in-room video game access and greater problematic video game use than the TD group. Multivariate models showed that inattentive symptoms predicted problematic game use for both the ASD and ADHD groups; and preferences for role-playing games predicted problematic game use in the ASD group only. CONCLUSIONS: Boys with ASD spend much more time playing video games than do boys with TD, and boys with ASD and ADHD are at greater risk for problematic video game use than are boys with TD. Inattentive symptoms, in particular, were strongly associated with problematic video game use for both groups, and role-playing game preferences may be an additional risk factor for problematic video game use among children with ASD. These findings suggest a need for longitudinal research to better understand predictors and outcomes of video game use in children with ASD and ADHD.

[1]  P. Chan,et al.  A cross-sectional analysis of video games and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in adolescents , 2006, Annals of general psychiatry.

[2]  Daniel L. King,et al.  The Role of Structural Characteristics in Problematic Video Game Play: An Empirical Study , 2011, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

[3]  H. Tager-Flusberg,et al.  Extreme sensory modulation behaviors in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders. , 2007, The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

[4]  A. Azizian,et al.  Comparison of DSM-IV symptoms in elementary school-age children with PDD versus clinic and community samples , 2005, Autism : the international journal of research and practice.

[5]  Leonard Bickman,et al.  Psychometric properties of the Vanderbilt ADHD diagnostic parent rating scale in a referred population. , 2003, Journal of pediatric psychology.

[6]  Florian Rehbein,et al.  Prevalence and Risk Factors of Video Game Dependency in Adolescence: Results of a German Nationwide Survey , 2010, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[7]  D. Skuse,et al.  Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence from a Large Sample of Children and Adolescents , 2011, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

[8]  M. Bouvard,et al.  Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and video games: A comparative study of hyperactive and control children , 2008, European Psychiatry.

[9]  Jonathan Gershon,et al.  A Meta-Analytic Review of Gender Differences in ADHD , 2002, Journal of attention disorders.

[10]  M. Wolraich,et al.  Examination of DSM‐IV Criteria for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in a County‐Wide Sample , 1998, Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP.

[11]  Moon-Soo Lee,et al.  Characteristics of Internet Use in Relation to Game Genre in Korean Adolescents , 2007, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[12]  F. Volkmar,et al.  Sex differences in pervasive developmental disorders , 1993, Journal of autism and developmental disorders.

[13]  S. Calhoun,et al.  Autism and ADHD: Overlapping and Discriminating Symptoms. , 2012 .

[14]  D. Gentile,et al.  Pathological Video Game Use Among Youths: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study , 2011, Pediatrics.

[15]  A. Couteur,et al.  Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised: A revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders , 1994, Journal of autism and developmental disorders.

[16]  P. Renshaw,et al.  The effect of methylphenidate on Internet video game play in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. , 2009, Comprehensive psychiatry.

[17]  Клинические дисциплины.  Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule , 2010 .

[18]  James D. Ivory,et al.  The Effects of Technological Advancement and Violent Content in Video Games on Players’ Feelings of Presence, Involvement, Physiological Arousal, and Aggression , 2007 .

[19]  Abraham Weizman,et al.  Emerging Association Between Addictive Gaming and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder , 2012, Current Psychiatry Reports.

[20]  Ricardo A Tejeiro Salguero,et al.  Measuring problem video game playing in adolescents. , 2002, Addiction.

[21]  Janet B W Williams,et al.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 2013 .

[22]  American Academy of Pediatrics: Children, adolescents, and television. , 2001, Pediatrics.

[23]  Lawrence Scahill,et al.  Anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. , 2009, Clinical psychology review.

[24]  J. Rucklidge.  Gender differences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. , 2010, The Psychiatric clinics of North America.

[25]  K. Gadow,et al.  Television “Violence” and Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders , 1993 .

[26]  Christopher P. Barlett,et al.  Longer you play, the more hostile you feel: examination of first person shooter video games and aggression during video game play. , 2007, Aggressive Behavior.

[27]  H. Shane,et al.  Electronic Screen Media for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Results of a Survey , 2008, Journal of autism and developmental disorders.

[28]  W. Stone,et al.  Sensory Experiences Questionnaire: discriminating sensory features in young children with autism, developmental delays, and typical development. , 2006, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[29]  C. G. Lim,et al.  Video Game Playing, Attention Problems, and Impulsiveness: Evidence of Bidirectional Causality , 2012 .

[30]  Kelly A Saran,et al.  The screens culture: impact on ADHD , 2011, Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.

[31]  G. Orsmond,et al.  The daily lives of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder , 2011, Autism : the international journal of research and practice.

[32]  D. Gentile.  Pathological Video-Game Use Among Youth Ages 8 to 18 , 2009, Psychological science.

[33]  Joshua M. Smyth,et al.  Beyond Self-Selection in Video Game Play: An Experimental Examination of the Consequences of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game Play , 2007, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[34]  Micah O. Mazurek,et al.  Prevalence and Correlates of Screen-Based Media Use Among Youths with Autism Spectrum Disorders , 2011, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

[35]  V. Strasburger,et al.  Children, adolescents, and television. , 1990, Pediatrics in review.

[36]  S. Faraone,et al.  Should the diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity disorder be considered in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder? , 2001 .

[37]  Angeline Khoo,et al.  Pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth. , 2010, Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore.

[38]  Micah O. Mazurek,et al.  Television, Video Game and Social Media Use Among Children with ASD and Typically Developing Siblings , 2012, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

[39]  M. Griffiths.  A ‘components’ model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework , 2005 .

[40]  David M. Rocke,et al.  Examining executive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and typical development , 2009, Psychiatry Research.

[41]  G. Baird,et al.  Validation of the social communication questionnaire in a population cohort of children with autism spectrum disorders. , 2007, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[42]  Daniel L. King,et al.  Preliminary Validation of a New Clinical Tool for Identifying Problem Video Game Playing , 2011, International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

[43]  Micah O. Mazurek,et al.  Video Game Use and Problem Behaviors in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders. , 2013 .

[44]  A Pickles,et al.  Autism screening questionnaire: Diagnostic validity , 1999, British Journal of Psychiatry.