A prevalence study of computer game overuse among regular Filipino students aged 18 and up enrolled in the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the College of Dentistry of the Davao Medical School Foundation using a questionnaire during school year 2010 to 2011

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#This study aims to describe the prevalence of computer game overuse among regular adult Filipino students of the Davao Medical School Foundation. @*METHODOLOGY@#This was a descriptive cross sectional survey of regular Filipino students aged 18 years old and above of the Davao Medical School Foundation for school year 2010-11. The students were given a self-administered screening tool on computer game overuse, which was derived from the DSM-IV criteria of Pathological Gambling. Positive scores of 5 and above on the 10 item scale would indicate possible computer game overuse, and a positive response to the question “Do you feel addicted to computer games?” would indicate that they considered themselves to be addicted to computer games.@*RESULTS@#Of the 598 students who participated in the study, 87.46 % (523/598) played computer games. The majority of the respondents were females, 62.54 % (374/598) with a mean age of 21 years old. Among those who did play games said they played only casually i.e. 88.53% (463/523). Those who did play games, 60.61% (317/523) of them did so as a form of escape. Half of them (50.86% or 266/523) would continue to play as they tried to chase their target goals in the game and17.78% ( 93/523) would constantly be preoccupied – planning and fantasizing about their next game play even while they were not playing. @*CONCLUSION@#Comparable to the prevalence rates in other countries, there were only 8.60% (45/ 523) of students who would be considered as excessively engaged in computer and video games based on the DSM –IV criteria yet a much higher percent i.e. 22.75% (119/523) actually considered themselves to already be addicted to computer games.