The Relationship between Computer Game Addiction and the Impulsiveness, Aggression, and Emotional Intelligence of Elementary School Students

초등학생의 컴퓨터 게임 중독과 충동성, 공격성 및 감성지능과의 관계

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find which variables among impulsiveness, aggression, and emotional intelligence can predict the game addiction of elementary school students best. Method: We conducted the present study during the period from April 15, 2004 through June 5, 2004. The subjects of this study were elementary school students chosen from three elementary schools in the Daejeon area. The subjects were selected randomly from 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in those schools. The number of subjects selected was 601. The measurement tools used were the general information questionnaire, computer game addiction scales, impulsiveness scales. aggression scales, and emotional intelligence scales. The data was analyzed using the SPSS statistics program. Results: The mean score of the students was 49.94 on the computer game addiction scale. 56.17 on the impulsiveness scale, 141.19 on the aggression scale, while the mean score of the students on the emotional intelligence scale was 162.78. Various factors were significantly different in the levels of computer game addiction: grade (F=7.343. p=.000). sex (t=6.352. p=.000), school record (F=4.263. p=.004), parents' computer use (F=4.097. p= .008), history of playing games (F=10.739. p=.000), frequency of playing games (F=61.254. p=.000). and number of computer game titles (F=61.673. p= .004). The computer game addiction had significant correlations with impulsiveness (r= .401. p=.000), aggression (r=.612. p=.000). and emotional intelligence (r=.536, p=.000). All three factors of impulsiveness, aggression, and emotional intelligence affected the level of game addiction. Among these factors. the aggression affected the level of addiction the most. Conclusion: These results will help the development of a systematic program for the prevention and treatment of computer game addiction by clarifying the effects of the computer game addiction upon the elementary school students' impulsiveness, aggression, and emotional intelligence.