Abstract

Purpose: This study is a descriptive correlation study to identify how factors such as motivation to learn, school adaptation, self-control, and self-esteem influence the degree of Internet game addiction and to provide basic data for nursing interventions for male middle school students. Methods: The subjects of this study were 418 male students in lst, 2nd and 3rd grade at three middle schools located in Ulsan. Data were collected from May 1, 2011 to May 31, 2011 and analyzed through descriptive statistical methods, such as the t-test, ANOVA, Sheffe's test, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis, via SPSS 18.0 program. The study's structured questionnaire was composed of 25 items of 'the Motivation to Learn Scale', 41 items of 'the School Adaptation Scale', 20 items of 'the Self-Control Scale', 10 items of 'the Self-esteem Scale', and 20 items of 'the Internet Game Addiction Scale'. Results: 163 students (39.0%) belonged to the non-addiction group while 255 students (61.0%) fell into the addiction risk group. The addiction risk group showed a higher degree of addiction than ones in the non-addiction group. The addiction risk group's average scores for motivation to learn, school adaptation, self-control, and self-esteem were lower than those of the non-addiction group. The statistically significant factors (p<.05) that increase the chance of addiction were grade, family atmosphere, self-control, trading of online game items, and the amount of time playing online games. Conclusion: On the basis of the findings of this study, it is suggested that; qualitative research on the routes of addiction be conducted to find out ways to prevent and nurse addicted students; considering the fact that the average age of Internet users is getting lower and lower, a study targeting primary school students be implemented; since the influences of the variables covered in this study turned out to be relatively low, other factors, especially environmental factors, should also be investigated.

Keywords

• Internet game addiction;
• Learning motivation;
• School adjustment;
• Self-control;
• Self-esteem