Game changer
Game changer
Game changer
By Janine Cohen and Matt Henry
March 5, 2023
Summary
Across Australia, tens of thousands of parents are experiencing the same frustrations when trying to regulate their teenage children's screen time, according to Macquarie University psychologist associate professor Dr Wayne Warburton, who specialises in problem gaming.
According to his research, as many as 10 per cent of kids who game meet the criteria for "Hazardous gaming" while 3 per cent of that group could be diagnosed with a more serious "Gaming disorder".
The program has shown such promising results in Germany that Dr Warburton set about revising it for "Australian conditions" in the hope it can be used to treat problem gamers here.
Dr Warburton is at pains to point out that for the majority of teenagers, gaming is an enjoyable pastime that causes no issues in their life.
Problem gaming can't simply be measured by looking at the number of hours a teen spends on screens, Dr Warburton says.
Dr Warburton's research shows about 10 per cent of Australian kids have problematic gaming habits.
A disproportionately high number of teens with autism spectrum disorder have a problem with gaming, he said, while stressing that excessive gaming also impacts widely on children who are not neurodivergent.
Reference
Cohen, J., Fisher, J., &; Henry, M. (2023, March 5). When Rhys's mother found him crawling across the floor late at night, she knew he was in trouble. ABC News. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-06/pilot-program-to-curb-problem-gaming-/101768790