Needs met through computer game play among adolescents

Despite much research on video/computer game play, especially the relationship between such play and aggression, little attention has been directed at needs met through play. The aim of the present study was to extend Selnow's (1984) needs' scale, and to identify individual differences in needs among adolescents. Focus groups were conducted, followed by a content analysis, and items corresponding to emerging themes were added to reasons identified in previous research for use in a quantitative survey. Four factors emerged from a factor analysis of the results; 'companionship', 'prefer to friends', 'fun challenge', and 'stress relief', and these, with the exception of 'companionship', were found to be significant predictors of play.

[1]  Mark D. Griffiths,et al.  Computer game playing in adolescence: prevalence and demographic indicators , 1995 .

[2]  Duane T. Wegener,et al.  Evaluating the use of exploratory factor analysis in psychological research. , 1999 .

[3]  L. Weinstein,et al.  Personality, psychopathology, and developmental issues in male adolescent video game use. , 1985, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry.

[4]  Jaap Oosterlaan,et al.  Emotion regulation and the dynamics of feelings: a conceptual and methodological framework. , 2004, Child development.

[5]  B. Tabachnick,et al.  Using Multivariate Statistics , 1983 .

[6]  D. Zillmann.  Mood Management Through Communication Choices , 1988 .

[7]  Joseph R. Dominick.  Videogames, Television Violence, and Aggression in Teenagers , 1984 .

[8]  Mark D. Griffiths,et al.  Video Game Playing and Gambling in Adolescents: Common Risk Factors , 2004 .

[9]  Seymour Feshbach,et al.  Television and aggression : [an experimental field study , 1972 .

[10]  G. Selnow.  Playing Videogames: The Electronic Friend , 1984 .

[11]  J. Colwell,et al.  Negative correlates of computer game play in adolescents. , 2000, British journal of psychology.

[12]  J. Colwell,et al.  Investigation of the relationship between social isolation, self-esteem, aggression and computer game play in Japanese adolescents. , 2003 .

[13]  J. Colwell,et al.  Computer games, self‐esteem and gratification of needs in adolescents , 1995 .

[14]  R. Mcclure.  Age and Video Game Playing , 1985 .