The present study examined effect of a play?]based cognitive behavior therapy program for children who play Internet games excessively on their Self?]Efficacy and game addiction behavior. Three children who participated in this study scored 72 poi...
The present study examined effect of a play?]based cognitive behavior therapy program for children who play Internet games excessively on their Self?]Efficacy and game addiction behavior. Three children who participated in this study scored 72 point or higher, or belonged to the top 10% in Lee Hyeong?]cho?fs Game Addiction Diagnosis Test among the 5th?] and 6th?]grade elementary students, were attending the after?]school program of W welfare center in Daegu, played Internet games more than 2 hours and 30 minutes a day, belonged to the lowest 40% in the score of Self?]Efficacy, and wanted to participate in the program.
To examine changes in the children?fs Self?]Efficacy, we compared the scores of the Self?]Efficacy test conducted before and after the program, and to examine changes in behaviors related to Self?]Efficacy, we analyzed children?fs behaviors observed in free play situation. To examine changes in game addiction behavior, we compared the results of the game addiction diagnosis test conducted before and after the treatment, and monitored changes in the children?fs behavior by measuring game playing hours in a week.
The results showed that:
First, play?]based cognitive behavior therapy program improved Self?]Efficacy in the children addicted to Internet games and, consequently, increased the children?fs 'self-confidence', 'self?]control efficacy' and 'preference of subject difficulty' behavior.
Second, the play?]based cognitive behavior therapy program reduced the score of game addiction and game playing hours in the children addicted to Internet games.
There results suggest that play?]based cognitive behavior therapy is effective in improving Self?]Efficacy and decreasing addiction behavior in children addicted to Internet games.