Digital gaming is more popular now than ever in history. Even though gaming is a very popular free time activity and is mostly a joyful hobby, in 2019 gaming disorder has been recognized as a psychiatric nosology by the World Health Organization and is listed in the current manual of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Alongside gaming, young people also spend an increasingly large amount of their time using social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Given the popularity of social networking sites, some available studies have identified negative health implications regarding problematic or intensive networking site use. In addition, parents and teachers have become increasingly worried about the possible negative impacts such sites might have on child development and performance in school. Although a vast amount of literature has focused on the harmful effects in relation to such a problematic pattern of social networking site use, it has not yet been recognised as an official psychiatric condition.
Many scholars believe that it is crucial to regulate intensive gaming/social networking site use among youth in order to prevent problematic behaviour and to minimise the chance that this kind of behaviour will have a negative influence on well-being and performance in school. The latter concern stems from research evidence that shows that very intensive gaming and/or social networking site use is associated with negative impacts on the performance of some students. This kind of problematic behaviour resembles certain addictive characteristics, including features of a compulsion toward repeated and reward-induced habits that further risk affecting individuals’ mental, social and physical well-being. For instance, some research has shown a link between depression, anxiety, and reduced self-esteem and extensive gaming/social networking site use. In this regard, many factors are associated with problematic gaming/social networks use behaviour, which further negatively influence students’ performance and success in school. It is also worth noting that students are one of the most important user groups in regard to these virtual goods.
This Special Issue is dedicated to the subject of problematic gaming and social networking site use in relation to effects on students’ school performance and success. Given that these problems are becoming more prevalent every day among educators and parents who neither know the scope nor the extent of this challenge, it is hoped that this issue may shed light on the current situation among students. In particular, it will focus on gender, the factors and mechanisms of individual influence, different school types/levels, and duration of problems.
We welcome authors to submit their manuscripts on (but not limited to) the following themes:
1. The etiology of problems related to video games and social networks among children and youths.
2. The consequences of maladaptive behaviours connected to video games and social networks among children and youths.
3. Video games and social networks activity and school achievements.
4. Prevention, harm reduction strategies and intervention on maladaptive activity connected to video games and social networks among children and youths.
5. The assessment of video games and social networks involvement.
Digital gaming is more popular now than ever in history. Even though gaming is a very popular free time activity and is mostly a joyful hobby, in 2019 gaming disorder has been recognized as a psychiatric nosology by the World Health Organization and is listed in the current manual of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Alongside gaming, young people also spend an increasingly large amount of their time using social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Given the popularity of social networking sites, some available studies have identified negative health implications regarding problematic or intensive networking site use. In addition, parents and teachers have become increasingly worried about the possible negative impacts such sites might have on child development and performance in school. Although a vast amount of literature has focused on the harmful effects in relation to such a problematic pattern of social networking site use, it has not yet been recognised as an official psychiatric condition.
Many scholars believe that it is crucial to regulate intensive gaming/social networking site use among youth in order to prevent problematic behaviour and to minimise the chance that this kind of behaviour will have a negative influence on well-being and performance in school. The latter concern stems from research evidence that shows that very intensive gaming and/or social networking site use is associated with negative impacts on the performance of some students. This kind of problematic behaviour resembles certain addictive characteristics, including features of a compulsion toward repeated and reward-induced habits that further risk affecting individuals’ mental, social and physical well-being. For instance, some research has shown a link between depression, anxiety, and reduced self-esteem and extensive gaming/social networking site use. In this regard, many factors are associated with problematic gaming/social networks use behaviour, which further negatively influence students’ performance and success in school. It is also worth noting that students are one of the most important user groups in regard to these virtual goods.
This Special Issue is dedicated to the subject of problematic gaming and social networking site use in relation to effects on students’ school performance and success. Given that these problems are becoming more prevalent every day among educators and parents who neither know the scope nor the extent of this challenge, it is hoped that this issue may shed light on the current situation among students. In particular, it will focus on gender, the factors and mechanisms of individual influence, different school types/levels, and duration of problems.
We welcome authors to submit their manuscripts on (but not limited to) the following themes:
1. The etiology of problems related to video games and social networks among children and youths.
2. The consequences of maladaptive behaviours connected to video games and social networks among children and youths.
3. Video games and social networks activity and school achievements.
4. Prevention, harm reduction strategies and intervention on maladaptive activity connected to video games and social networks among children and youths.
5. The assessment of video games and social networks involvement.
