ArticleCureus2023
The Prevalence of Video Game Addiction and Its Relation to Anxiety, Depression, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children and Adolescents in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Cureus, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of different digital interventions on symptoms for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a network meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Parental Awareness and Practices Regarding Electronic Devices' Effects on Children's Sleep: A Cross-Sectional Study.Public health challenges · 2026Article
- Internet Gaming Disorder, Sleep Quality, and Gaming Time Among High School and University Students in Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Article
- Internet Gaming Disorder and Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use: The Moderating Role of Student Status.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- The association between internet gaming disorder, depression, and anxiety among Palestinian university students who play internet games in a conflict-affected region.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Article
- The Mediating Role of Depression and the Moderating Role of Game Genre in the Relationship Between Suicidal Thoughts and Computer Game Addiction Among Adolescents in Tehran.Actas espanolas de psiquiatria · 2025Article
- Validation of the Farsi version of the video-game addiction scale for children: its associations with social media addiction, internet addiction and executive functions.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Predicting Anxiety and Depression Based on Video Game Addiction with the Mediating Role of Social Support.Actas espanolas de psiquiatria · 2025Article
- The effect of digital obesity and phubbing level on life satisfaction: latent profile analysis.BMC psychology · 2024Article
- Effects of memory and attention on the association between video game addiction and cognitive/learning skills in children: mediational analysis.BMC psychology · 2024Article
- Prevalence and Prediction of Video Gaming Addiction Among Saudi Adolescents, Using the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents (GASA).Psychology research and behavior management · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and objective Video games have become a popular source of entertainment among children and adolescents, not only targeting the young generation but also increasingly popular among older demographics as well. This study aimed to assess the association between video game addiction and depression, anxiety, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study involving Saudi adolescents aged 12-16 years. A self-administered online survey was distributed on social media (Twitter, WhatsApp, and Snapchat). The survey addressed sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, area of residence city, etc.). Arabic versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (PHQ-GAD7), the ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS), and the seven-item Game Addiction Scale (GAS-7) questionnaires were distributed as well, including Arabic terms for depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Results A total of 393 surveys were completed (males: 58.3% vs. females: 41.7%). Of note, 63.1% of the respondents reported playing video games every day with an average of more than five hours of gaming time per day (25.2%). The prevalence of video game addiction was 62.1%. Independent risk factors of video game addiction included being young in age, playing video games every day, playing more than three hours per day, and playing multiplayer games. Furthermore, our findings suggest that a higher video game addiction score is correlated with higher scores in inattention, anxiety, and depression. Conclusion This study found a high prevalence of video game addiction among Saudi children and adolescents. Excessive video game playing negatively influences mental health and leads to issues including anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Also, younger males with an increased rate of regular playtime were more likely to exhibit video game addiction in comparison to the rest of the population. Further research is required to more comprehensively assess the prevalence rate of video game addiction and its effect on the mental health of the younger generation within the region.
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