Perceived problems with computer gaming and Internet use are associated with poorer social relations in adolescence.

OBJECTIVES: Young people's engagement in electronic gaming and Internet communication have caused concerns about potential harmful effects on their social relations, but the literature is inconclusive. The aim of this paper was to examine whether perceived problems with computer gaming and Internet communication are associated with young people's social relations. METHODS: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey in 13 schools in the city of Aarhus, Denmark, in 2009. Response rate 89%, n = 2,100 students in grades 5, 7, and 9. Independent variables were perceived problems related to computer gaming and Internet use, respectively. Outcomes were measures of structural (number of days/week with friends, number of friends) and functional (confidence in others, being bullied, bullying others) dimensions of student's social relations. RESULTS: Perception of problems related to computer gaming were associated with almost all aspects of poor social relations among boys. Among girls, an association was only seen for bullying. For both boys and girls, perceived problems related to Internet use were associated with bullying only. CONCLUSIONS: Although the study is cross-sectional, the findings suggest that computer gaming and Internet use may be harmful to young people's social relations.

Perceived problems with computer gaming and internet use among adolescents: measurement tool for non-clinical survey studies.

BACKGROUND: Existing instruments for measuring problematic computer and console gaming and internet use are often lengthy and often based on a pathological perspective. The objective was to develop and present a new and short non-clinical measurement tool for perceived problems related to computer use and gaming among adolescents and to study the association between screen time and perceived problems. METHODS: Cross-sectional school-survey of 11-, 13-, and 15-year old students in thirteen schools in the City of Aarhus, Denmark, participation rate 89%, n=2100. The main exposure was time spend on weekdays on computer- and console-gaming and internet use for communication and surfing. The outcome measures were three indexes on perceived problems related to computer and console gaming and internet use. RESULTS: The three new indexes showed high face validity and acceptable internal consistency. Most schoolchildren with high screen time did not experience problems related to computer use. Still, there was a strong and graded association between time use and perceived problems related to computer gaming, console gaming (only boys) and internet use, odds ratios ranging from 6.90 to 10.23. CONCLUSION: The three new measures of perceived problems related to computer and console gaming and internet use among adolescents are appropriate, reliable and valid for use in non-clinical surveys about young people's everyday life and behaviour. These new measures do not assess Internet Gaming Disorder as it is listed in the DSM and therefore has no parity with DSM criteria. We found an increasing risk of perceived problems with increasing time spent with gaming and internet use. Nevertheless, most schoolchildren who spent much time with gaming and internet use did not experience problems.

The influence of family structure on breakfast habits among adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Regular breakfast habits are important for the health and well-being of young people. The family is an important setting for developing regular breakfast habits. The objectives of the present study are to study the association between family structure and the regularity of breakfast habits among children and adolescents, and to analyse whether such potential association is modified by gender. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data are from the Danish contribution to the international study entitled Health Behaviour in School aged Children, 2006. Participants are school children aged 11, 13 and 15 drawn from a random sample of Danish schools. The response rate was 88.8%, n = 6,269. Family structure was categorized into traditional family, single-parent family and reconstructed family. Irregular breakfast habits (IBH) were defined as having breakfast 0-1 times per week. RESULTS: Analyses of the total population show an increased, significant odds ratio (OR) of 1.56 for IBH among children from single-parent families. Among children from reconstructed families, an insignificant OR of 1.27 was observed. Further, the results suggest that girls living in a reconstructed family may also have an increased risk of IBH. CONCLUSION: The breakfast habits of adolescent boys and girls are influenced by family structure.