Medical Science
Volume 24, Issue 106, November - December, 2020
Prevalence and Negative impact of Videogames among children and adolescents in Albaha city, KSA
Elfatih Mirghani M. Salih1♦, Ahmed Hassan Alghamdi2, Ali Yahya B. Alzahrani3, Hamid A.H. Alghamdi3, Fahad A. Saad Alghamdi3, Abdulaziz Saleh M Alzubaidy3
1Assistant professor of pediatrics University of Albaha, KSA
2Associate professor of pediatrics and Endocrinology University of Albaha, KSA
3Six-year Medical students Faculty of Medicine Albaha University, KSA
♦Corresponding author
Elfatih Mirghani Mohammed Salih,
Albaha University, Faculty of Medicine post address: 1988;
Saudi Arabia,
E. mail: dralfatih@hotmail.com/Ammsaleh@bu.edu.sa
Mobile: +966537293422
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Video games (VGs) have become widely spread nowadays occupying most of the leisure time of the children, this may
affect their schooling, sleeping, and behavior adversely. Methodology: This cross-sectional prospective study was carried out to
assess the prevalence and negative impact of VGs on children and adolescents. A questionnaire was designed and filled by the
parents together with their child to assess the rate of VGs playing and whether it has left any negative effects on the child. Results:
VGs prevalence among the participants was about 99.3%. VGs Playing was found to predispose to the following negative effects
among the studied group: violence and aggressive behavior (25%), excessive eating (37%), behavioral problems as lack of attention
(23%) and hyperactivity (19%), decreased school performance (32%), sleep disturbances as staying awake for a late time at night
(45%), and semi-addictive effect (5.9%). Conclusion: The vast majority of the participants reported playing VGs. VGs playing was
demonstrated to have a lot of negative effects on the studied group such as violence and aggressive behavior, excessive eating,
behavioral problems as inattention, decreased school performance, sleep disturbances, and semi-addictive effect.
Keywords: Video games, Prevalence, school, sleep, Impact
Medical Science, 2020, 24(106), 4001-4009
