Dependencia a los videojuegos y su relación con las habilidades sociales en adolescentes

Abstract

In recent years, the use of video games has become one of the most popular recreational practices among adolescents; however, the excessive use of these artifacts is of concern to the community, since they are presumed to cause deterioration of mental health, and could also affect the social interaction of the subject with his or her environment. The objective of the research was to identify the relationship between dependence on video games and social skills in adolescents in a sample of 120 young men and women from an educational unit in the city of Ambato-Ecuador. The methodology implemented corresponds to a quantitative approach, non experimental design, cross-sectional and correlational scope. The Choliz and Marcos video game dependence instrument and the Goldstein social skills checklist were applied. The results reveal that video game dependence is found in low and moderate levels, as well as that most of the evaluated participants present normal to good levels of social skills. In addition, differences were found with respect to gender, determining that men are more likely to be dependent on video games than women. Finally, it is concluded that there is no relationship between the study variables (Rho = -0.147 p>0.050).