This was a Master's level presentation on video game addiction, theory and treatment. It looked at how boys are getting hooked on video games, and possible causes. Finally, using Leonard Sax's model, showed how boys are not going to college because many factors like video game addiction, ADD medication, the lack of play in Kindergarten, and societal stereotypes against boys.

1. Video Game Addiction Theory & Treatment
and
Boys’ Development
By
Richard Smith

2. Introduction to
Video Game Addiction

3. Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax
 Leonard Sax: MD and Psychologist
 Popular author – Also writes opinion
articles for the Washington Post.

4. Why are boys not
going to college?
 College rates of men in
college
 1949 – 70%
 1959 – 64%
 1969 – 59%
 1979 – 49%
 1989 - 46%
 1999 - 44%
 2006 - 42%
If these statistics are correct, boys
must not be graduating high school.
From Boys Adrift

5. The gender cleansing of “boy behavior” in kindergarten through 12th grades. -
Zero tolerance policies (zero conflict, zero threatening language, zero agitation, zero
noise, zero boisterous activity.) This leads to boys’ dissatisfaction in attending school.
Women have a more cooperative approach to learning, men a more independent
approach. - A female more likely to use academic support services (e.g. counseling,
tutoring, etc.) than a male. Women are better at developing the web of supportive
relationships necessary to achieve success in college. Men hide in their dorm rooms.
An embedded belief on college campuses that “Men are the problem.” - “Anti-
maleness”, whether from a compensatory fixation or from fears that young men are
behaving badly and need to be re-programmed, has become structural on most
campuses. Men are being welcomed to college as potential rapists. Fraternities are
under a microscope.
Negative media images of men. In commercials where one of the genders is
depicted as less intelligent, nearly 100% of the time it will be a male.
James Shelley, Ten Reasons Why Men Aren’t Going to College, NEW MALE STUDIES: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ~ ISSN 1839-7816
~ Vol 6, Issue 1, 2017 Pp. 12–22 © 2017 AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MALE HEALTH AND STUDIES.
Reasons boys fail at school.

6. Boys’ Elementary School Issues
 Changes in Education
 Not identifying gender differences – an
emphasis on empathy and feelings disengages
boys. Better to ask “what would you do?” than
how would you feel?”
 Pre-literate focus of Kindergarten – Girls
brains read on average at age 5 while boys
start at age 7. They feel dumb in
Kindergarten and first grade and this feeling
continues.
 Weisenchraft (data) vs. Kenntnis
(experience) Too much data without
experience shuts boys brains down.
 Focus on behavior problems reduces
No more Dodge Ball
Not much play
in kindergarten.
From Boys Adrift

7. Reasons for Boys only High School
 Boys don’t have to compete with girls
who start two years ahead in reading.
 They can be taught how to be
gentlemen.
 Example High School Core Values –
Scholarship, Integrity, Civility, Tolerance,
Altruism, Sportsmanship, Responsibility,
Self-discipline.
 They can compete against each other
and grow as men.
 Don’t have to worry about showing off to
or being put down by girls and teen
From Boys Adrift

8. ADHD meds
 Boys have not stopped playing until around seven
so they are given ADD medications at a high rate
in Kindergarten and 1st grade. Recommendation
is to wait till age six for Kindergarten so boys are
more ready.
 Tom Sawyer was “ADD” and would have been
given medications. ADD meds are over used.
 ADD medications affect the nucleus
accumbens and kids end up apathetic.
 Some boys, especially creative ones, get bullied
at school by girls and benefit from a boys school.
From Boys Adrift

9. ADHD meds
 Dr. Gabrielli 2006 study showed
ADD medications benefited
normal and ADD kids the same in
terms of focus.
 Dr. Carlezon Harvard study
showed ADHD medications make
apes lazy.
From Boys Adrift

10. Endocrine Disruptors
 Plastics perhaps?
 Phthalates, BPA – Health hazard, low
IQ.
 2, 4 and 5 are OK for limited use.
 1 is OK but avoid heat. AVOID 3, 6,&
6,& 7
 Sexual development of children -
Estrogen Impacts?
 Slows development in boys while
speeding development in girls.
Girls are 1year ahead of boys
From Boys Adrift

11. Endocrine Disruptors
 Plastics?
 Phthalaperhapstes
 Bisphenol- A (BPA)
 Sexual development of children -
Estrogen Impacts
 Effects on boys – slows
development
 Effects on girls – speeds
development
 Some animals exposed towww.wikipedia/menarche, Secular trend in decrease in age of menarche in Western European and
North American girls After: Boaz (1999) CC BY-SA 3.0 (shareable)

12. Why Boys Play Video Games
 Satisfies a need for control – Boys want
to own their destiny in life. Video games
provide that while school and church are
too concerned about them being
haughty or prideful.
 Provides needed excitement and
challenge.
 They get a dopamine high from playing.
 Gamification in Learning Management
Systems and apps like Quizlet, brain
training, computer coding and
crosswords are using video games to
From Boys Adrift

13. Negative Affects of Video Games
 Most games are non-learning video
games don’t make kids smarter. Madden
football does not translate to actual
playing on the high school football team.
Kids can’t solve real problems. They can
press a button fast or turn quickly, but
they can’t solve real world problems.
 Average IQ for boys is dropping.
 Video Gamers are more apt to be obese.
From Boys Adrift

14. Video Games
 Erodes work ethic – They want a high
score on their video game rather than a
good grade.
 Antisocial – Violent, massive multiplayer
video games cause boys to play alone in
a room.
 Nucleus accumbens is gorged with blood
as if the boy achieved a great victory.
DLPFC gets no blood to provide a goal
target. This puts the boy’s emotions out
of balance.
From Boys Adrift

15. Brain activation when gamers were shown gaming cues is very similar to those
with nicotine dependence with the frontal-limbic network, gyrus, and the
anterior cingulate cortex.
Conclusion: IGD resembles substance abuse disorder especially with similar
dopamine release to drugs of abuse and opting for short term gains.
Reduced Gray Matter Density in IGD. Reduces attention, control, impulse control, motor
function, emotion regulation, and sensory-motor coordination. White Matter Density was
reduced in other areas related to decision making.

16. www.newzoo.com
www.newzoo.com

18. www.newzoo.com

19. www.newzoo.com

21. Internet Gaming
Disorder Definition
 Repetitive use of Internet-based games, often
with other players, that leads to significant
issues with functioning
 The American Medical Association defines
heavy gaming usage as playing for two hours
or more a day.

22.  1. Preoccupation or obsession with Internet games.
 2. Withdrawal symptoms when not playing Internet games.
 3. A build-up of tolerance–more time needs to be spent playing the
games.
 4. The person has tried to stop or curb playing Internet games, but has
failed to do so.
 5. The person has had a loss of interest in other life activities.
 6. A person has had continued overuse of Internet games even with the
knowledge of how much they impact a person’s life.
 7. The person lied to others about his or her Internet game usage.
 8. The person uses Internet games as a way to escape.
 9. The person has lost or put at risk an opportunity or relationship
because of Internet games.
DSM-5 2013 - Internet Gaming Disorder
5 must be met within the last year and last at least six months.

23. Feng, W., Ramo, D. E., Chan, S. R., & Bourgeois, J. A. (2017). Internet gaming disorder: Trends in prevalence 1998–2016.
Internet Gaming Disorder is 4.7% of Population

24. Comorbidity
 Studies have shown that internet gaming disorder may be
associated with major depressive disorder, ADHD, OCD, and
social problems
 Adolescents who play more than one hour of console or
Internet video games may have more or more intense
symptoms of ADHD or inattention than those who do not
 Socially phobic players may employ online games to satisfy
social relational needs while avoiding stress experienced in
offline social environments
 MMORPGs even allow social interaction without engaging
any other player- gamers often develop relationships with
their avatars

25. Lawrence T. Lam, Zi-wen Peng, Jin-cheng Mai, and Jin Jing. CyberPsychology & Behavior. October 2009
Trauma is more
prevalent in people
with IGD.

26. Lawrence T. Lam, Zi-wen Peng, Jin-cheng Mai, and Jin Jing. CyberPsychology & Behavior. October 2009
Addicted gamers had
higher trauma scores.
Intrusion Avoidance Physical Arousal

27. Treatments
 Current approaches to treating IGD tend to primarily use the
cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) model
 Other treatment options are cognitive enhancement therapy,
cognitive bias modification, and mindfulness-based stress
reduction
 Therapeutic residential camp (TRC)
 psychotherapy
 psychoeducational therapy
 cognitive behavioral therapy
 Combined Reality therapy and mindfulness meditation
 Targets goal-directed choices and evaluate their choices by helping
reflect their behaviors
 6 week group behavioral intervention

28. Self-Discovery Camp
 A camp that focused on treating young adults with IGD
 Three goals were hoped to be achieved
 1) to foster awareness of health, wellness, and a well-regulated life
 2) to experience communication without internet or digital devices
 3) to collaborate with others and solve problems
 Results:
 Gamers still played daily, but were wanting to control their behavior and
pursue it in a healthy way.
Sakuma, H., Mihara, S., Nakayama, H., Miura, K., Kitayuguchi, T., Maezono, M., & ... Higuchi, S. (2017). Treatment with the
Self-Discovery Camp (SDiC) improves Internet gaming disorder. Addictive Behaviors, 64357-362.
doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.06.013

29. Positive Psychology
 Positive psychotherapy is intended to realize the goal of
improving positive emotions and life quality while
reducing negative emotions, like anxiety.
 Goal is to achieve: relationship satisfaction, social
support, and happiness
 Results: Improved social adjustment

30. Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous
 12-Step Program Meetings online at www.cgaa.info
 1:30pm and 10pm every day. Uses the 12-step process, references a
Higher Power and the Serenity Prayer.
 Phrases to think about -
 There is not a problem I have that a return to gaming cannot make
worse.
 Don’t game, go to meetings, ask for help.
 Any day that I manage to not game is a success.
 If we put even half of the effort into recovery that we put into gaming,
we stand an excellent chance of staying off games and building a
fulfilling life.
 Getting honest:
 How did gaming create or worsen problems in my life?
 The "subtle insanity that precedes the first game": What are the
thoughts that trigger an irresistible compulsion to game? How can I deal
with them?
 One Day at a Time: What can I do to make it between now and the end
of the day without starting that first game?
 Living game-free: As newcomers, we suddenly have much more time on
our hands and can struggle with boredom and lack of motivation to do
constructive things. How can we deal with this?

31. Addictions and Recovery Counseling
By Dr. Tim Clinton & Eric Scalise
 A Christian approach to Video game addiction – the
love of Christ is the counselor's primary
motivation.
 Treatment difficulties - people with video game
addiction have generally poor social skills so face-
to-face interactions are awkward for them.
 Assessment interview questions include:
 How much time in the past week if you spend
gaming?
 Do you have strong negative emotions like
depression and moodiness when you have not
been able to play game?
 Do you use gaming as a form of escape?
 Are your thoughts and emotions correlated to
the release of the new popular video game?

32. Addictions and Recovery Counseling
By Dr. Tim Clinton & Eric Scalise
 Proverbs 25:28 “Like a city whose walls are broken
through is a person who lacks self-control.”
 Recovery Action Steps
1. Admit There is a Problem.
2. Begin Regulating Game Usage.
3. Remove the Video Game or Computer Entirely.
4. Have Positive Peer Interaction. - need to socialize and
learn to interact with peers.

33. Addictions and Recovery Counseling
By Dr. Tim Clinton & Eric Scalise
 Prayer Starter
 Lord, You are the master of our time and You desire
to have first place in our heart and life. There is no
greater reward than spending time with You, and so
I pray You would take away from ________ the
addiction to gaming so that he (she) may know You
more intimately. It is not good for us to be alone or
for us to have no fellowship outside our home. God,
may You bring people into ________’s life to
encourage and strengthen him (her) and may You
fill his (her) thoughts with Your words and love. You
care for us and love of our time and You desire to
have first place in our heart and life. Thank you
for the freedom we can experience in You . . .

34. References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Internet Gaming Disorder. Diagnostic and statistical manual
of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC
Bargeron, A. H., & Hormes, J. M. (2017). Psychosocial correlates of internet gaming disorder:
Psychopathology, life satisfaction, and impulsivity. Computers In Human Behavior, 68388-394.
doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.029
Beard, C. L., & Wickham, R. E. (2016). Gaming-contingent self-worth, gaming motivation, and Internet
Gaming Disorder. Computers In Human Behavior, 61507-515. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.046
Clinton, T., & Scalise, E. (2013). Addictions and recovery counseling : 40 topics, spiritual insights, and
easy-to-use action steps. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Day, I. (2017). A Family Systems Approach to the Understanding and Treatment of Internet Gaming
Disorder. Family Journal, 25(3), 264-270. doi:10.1177/1066480717711108
Feng, W., Ramo, D. E., Chan, S. R., & Bourgeois, J. A. (2017). Internet gaming disorder: Trends in
prevalence 1998-2016. Addictive Behaviors, 7517-24. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.06.010
Johnson, D., Gardner, J., & Sweetser, P. (2016). Motivations for videogame play: Predictors of time
spent playing. Computers In Human Behavior, 63805-812. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.06.028

35. References
 Kaess, M., Parzer, P., Mehl, L., Weil, L., Strittmatter, E., Resch, F., & Koenig, J. (2017). Stress vulnerability in
male youth with Internet Gaming Disorder. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 77244-251.
doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.01.008
Khazaei, F., Khazaei, O., & Ghanbari-H., B. (2017). Full length article: Positive psychology interventions for
internet addiction treatment. Computers In Human Behavior, 72304-311. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.065
McGraw, Dr. Phil (2015, July 14). Retrieved October 09, 2017, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKh4p_KBpFw%C2%A0 https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv
Roy, Charley Slideshare template for Boy’s Adift. Used some of it for Boys Adrift part and edited it.
Sakuma, H., Mihara, S., Nakayama, H., Miura, K., Kitayuguchi, T., Maezono, M., & ... Higuchi, S. (2017).
Treatment with the Self-Discovery Camp (SDiC) improves Internet gaming disorder. Addictive Behaviors, 64357-
362. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.06.013
Sax, Leonard, Boys Adrift. New York: Basic Books, 2007. (Note that the 2016 book looked very similar.)
Sioni, S. R., Burleson, M. H., & Bekerian, D. A. (2017). Internet gaming disorder: Social phobia and identifying
with your virtual self. Computers In Human Behavior, 7111-15. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.044
Weinstein, A., Livny, A., & Weizman, A. (2017). New developments in brain research of internet and gaming
disorder. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 75314-330. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.040
Yao, Y., Chen, P., Li, C. R., Hare, T. A., Li, S., Zhang, J., & ... Fang, X. (2017). Full length article: Combined
reality therapy and mindfulness meditation decrease intertemporal decisional impulsivity in young adults with
Internet gaming disorder. Computers In Human Behavior, 68210-216. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.038
Zhang, F., & Kaufman, D. (2017). Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) and Socio-
Emotional Wellbeing. Computers In Human Behavior, 73451-458. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.00
• www.newzoo.com, 2017 Global Games Market Report. August 2017 Total Digital Revenue.
www.superdataresearch.com, 2016 MMO & MOBA Market Report.