학령후기 아동의 인터넷 게임중독과 우울 및 분노와의 관계

Abstract

이 연구는 초등학교 5, 6학년을 대상으로 인터넷 게임중독과 심리적 특성인 우울, 분노와의 관계를 파악하여 학령후기 아동의 인터넷 게임중독에 대한 이해를 돕고 그로 인한 부작용을 예방하기 위한 목적으로 실시하였다.

이 연구에서 살펴보고자 하는 연구문제는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 아동의 성별에 따른 인터넷 게임중독, 우울, 분노의 차이는 어떠한가? 둘째, 인터넷 게임중독 수준에 따른 우울, 분노의 차이는 어떠한가? 셋째, 인터넷 게임중독은 우울과 분노에 어떤 영향을 미치는가?

연구의 대상은 서울시에 소재하고 있는 초등학교 2곳의 5, 6학년 남∙ 녀 아동 414명이며, 아동의 전반적인 인터넷 게임이용 실태에 관한 설문과 인터넷 게임중독 수준을 측정하는 인터넷 게임중독척도 질문지, 우울 정도를 측정하는 아동우울척도(Children's Depression Inventory; CDI), 분노유발상황에 따른 분노정도를 측정하는 아동분노척도(Children's Inventory of Anger; ChIA)를 실시하였다. 자료분석은 SPSS 17.0을 활용하였으며, 본 연구의 결과는 다음과 같다.

첫째, 아동의 성별에 따라 인터넷 게임중독 수준이 차이가 있었다. 남학생이 여학생에 비해서 인터넷 게임중독 정도가 의미있게 높게 나타났다. 남학생은 잠재적 위험 사용자, 고위험 사용자가 높은 반면에 여학생은 일반 사용자가 높게 나왔다. 그리고 게임중독의 모든 하위영역에서 남학생들이 여학생들보다 높았다. 반면, 우울과 분노는 성별에 따라 유의한 차이가 없었다. 둘째, 인터넷 게임중독 수준에 따라 우울과 분노 모두 차이가 있었다. 먼저 인터넷 게임중독 수준에 따라 우울 전체에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였고, 우울의 하위영역 중 행동장애, 흥미상실, 생리적 증상 순으로 유의한 차이를 나타냈다. 그리고 우울은 인터넷 게임중독의 고위험 사용자가 일반 사용자에 비해 상대적으로 높게 나타났다. 다음으로 인터넷 게임중독 수준에 따라 분노 전체에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였고, 분노의 하위영역 중 권위관계, 좌절, 또래관계 순으로 유의한 차이를 나타냈다. 그리고 분노는 인터넷 게임중독의 잠재적 위험 사용자, 고위험 사용자가 일반 사용자에 비해 상대적으로 높게 나타났다. 셋째, 인터넷 게임중독이 우울과 분노에 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났으며, 인터넷 게임중독은 우울, 분노와 통계적으로 유의한 정적 상관관계를 보였다. 먼저 우울에 미치는 영향을 살펴보면, 인터넷 게임중독의 하위요인 중 게임 지향적 생활과 내성과 통제력 상실은 우울을 높이는 요인으로 밝혀졌다. 성별에 따라 살펴보면, 남학생은 인터넷 게임중독이 우울 전체에 영향을 미치지 않았으나, 하위요인 중 게임 지향적 생활은 행동장애에만 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 반면 여학생은 인터넷 게임중독의 게임 지향적 생활이 우울 전체에 정적인 영향을 주었으며, 게임 지향적 생활이 높을수록, 우울정서, 흥미상실, 행동장애가 높아졌고, 금단과 정서경험이 높을수록 행동장애도 높아졌다. 또한 내성과 통제력 상실이 높을수록, 생리적 증상이 높아지는 것으로 나타났다. 다음으로 인터넷 게임중독이 분노에 미치는 영향을 보면, 인터넷 게임중독의 하위요인 중 내성과 통제력 상실, 금단과 정서경험은 분노를 높이는 요인으로 밝혀졌다. 성별에 따라 살펴보면, 남학생과 여학생 모두 인터넷 게임중독이 분노 전체에 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 하위요인별로 보면, 남학생의 경우, 내성과 통제력 상실은 또래관계에 영향을 미치고, 금단과 정서경험은 권위관계에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 반면 인터넷 게임중독은 여학생의 분노에는 크게 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 나타났다.

이상의 연구결과를 통하여, 학령후기 아동의 인터넷 게임중독은 우울, 분노와 밀접한 관계가 있으며, 인터넷 게임중독은 아동의 정서에 큰 부정적 영향을 미친다는 것을 재확인해 보았다. 특히 인터넷 게임중독이 높을수록 우울의 행동장애에 큰 영향을 미치며, 분노의 권위관계에 큰 영향을 미친다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이와 더불어 우울은 인터넷 게임중독의 게임 지향적 생활과 내성과 통제력 상실에 큰 영향을 받고, 분노는 내성과 통제력 상실, 금단과 정서경험에 큰 영향을 받는다는 것을 밝혀냈고, 성별에 따라 인터넷 게임중독이 우울과 분노에 미치는 영향이 다른 것을 확인하였다는 점에서 본 연구의 의의가 있다.| This study was performed on Grade 5 and 6 students in elementary school to help understand Internet game addiction in late childhood and prevent it by understanding the relationship between Internet game addiction and depression and anger, emotional characteristics resulted from the addiction.

The issues that this research try to address are as follows. First, how are Internet game addiction, depression and anger different by children's gender? Second, how are depression and anger based on the level of Internet game addiction? Third, how does Internet game addiction affect depression and anger?

Subjects for the study were 414 children, both boys and girls in 5th and 6th grades from two different elementary schools located in Seoul, Korea. They were given the survey regarding the overall Internet game use trend in children, the questionnaire to analyze the level of Internet game addiction, the CDI(Children's Depression Inventory) to analyze the level of child depression, and the ChIA(Children's Inventory of Anger) to analyze the level of anger based on different anger inducing situations. SPSS 17.0 was utilized for the data analysis, and the research results are as follows.

First, there was difference in the level of Internet game addiction by children's gender. The level of addiction among boys was significant higher than that of girls. For the boys, the potential-risk user group, and the high-risk user group were higher while the normal user group was higher for the girls. Moreover, the boys scored higher than the girls in all the sub-factors. The two groups, boys and girls, however did not show meaningful differences in depression and anger. Second, depression and anger were different according to the level of Internet game addiction. Also there was a statistically meaningful difference in the whole depression based on the level of Internet game addiction. Among the sub-factors of depression, behavior disorder, loss of interest, and physiological symptoms showed more meaningful differences in order. Depression was higher in the high-risk user group compared to the normal user group. Next, There was a statistically meaningful difference in the whole anger based on the level of Internet game addiction. The meaningful differences were found in the authority relationship, frustration, and peer relationship in order among the sub-factors. Anger was also higher in the high-risk user group, and the potential-risk user group compared to the normal user group. Third, Internet game addiction had significant influence in depression and anger, and there was a statistically meaningful positive correlation between Internet game addiction and, depression and anger. For its influence on depression, among the sub-factors of Internet game addiction, the game oriented life style, and the loss of tolerance and control were shown to increase the level of depression. For the addiction's influence on depression based on gender, although the addiction did not affect the whole depression fields for boys, the game oriented life style had an effect on the behavior disorder, among the sub-factors. For the girls, however, the game oriented life style affected depression, and depressive emotion, loss of interest, and behavior disorder were higher as the game oriented life style was higher, and the withdrawal and emotional experience were higher, behavior disorder was higher. Moreover, it was also shown that as the loss of tolerance and control were higher, physiological symptoms were also found higher. Next, for its influence on anger, the loss of tolerance and control, the withdrawal and emotional experience among the sub-factors of the addiction were proved to increase the level of anger. For the addiction's influence on anger based on gender, the addiction of neither boys nor girls had influence on the whole anger fields. However, for boys, the loss of tolerance and control affected the peer relationship, and the withdrawal and emotional experience affected the authority relationship. On the other hand, the internet game addiction didn't affect anger of girls.

Based on the above research results, it was re-confirmed that Internet game addiction in the late childhood had a close relationship with depression and anger, and the addiction has a significantly negative impact on the children's emotion. Especially, as higher the addiction is, more affected the behavior disorder of depression and authority relationship of anger by the addiction. Also, this study found that depression is greatly affected by the loss of tolerance and control, the withdrawal and emotional experience, and confirmed that the effects of addiction on depression and anger are different for gender.; This study was performed on Grade 5 and 6 students in elementary school to help understand Internet game addiction in late childhood and prevent it by understanding the relationship between Internet game addiction and depression and anger, emotional characteristics resulted from the addiction.

The issues that this research try to address are as follows. First, how are Internet game addiction, depression and anger different by children's gender? Second, how are depression and anger based on the level of Internet game addiction? Third, how does Internet game addiction affect depression and anger?

Subjects for the study were 414 children, both boys and girls in 5th and 6th grades from two different elementary schools located in Seoul, Korea. They were given the survey regarding the overall Internet game use trend in children, the questionnaire to analyze the level of Internet game addiction, the CDI(Children's Depression Inventory) to analyze the level of child depression, and the ChIA(Children's Inventory of Anger) to analyze the level of anger based on different anger inducing situations. SPSS 17.0 was utilized for the data analysis, and the research results are as follows.

First, there was difference in the level of Internet game addiction by children's gender. The level of addiction among boys was significant higher than that of girls. For the boys, the potential-risk user group, and the high-risk user group were higher while the normal user group was higher for the girls. Moreover, the boys scored higher than the girls in all the sub-factors. The two groups, boys and girls, however did not show meaningful differences in depression and anger. Second, depression and anger were different according to the level of Internet game addiction. Also there was a statistically meaningful difference in the whole depression based on the level of Internet game addiction. Among the sub-factors of depression, behavior disorder, loss of interest, and physiological symptoms showed more meaningful differences in order. Depression was higher in the high-risk user group compared to the normal user group. Next, There was a statistically meaningful difference in the whole anger based on the level of Internet game addiction. The meaningful differences were found in the authority relationship, frustration, and peer relationship in order among the sub-factors. Anger was also higher in the high-risk user group, and the potential-risk user group compared to the normal user group. Third, Internet game addiction had significant influence in depression and anger, and there was a statistically meaningful positive correlation between Internet game addiction and, depression and anger. For its influence on depression, among the sub-factors of Internet game addiction, the game oriented life style, and the loss of tolerance and control were shown to increase the level of depression. For the addiction's influence on depression based on gender, although the addiction did not affect the whole depression fields for boys, the game oriented life style had an effect on the behavior disorder, among the sub-factors. For the girls, however, the game oriented life style affected depression, and depressive emotion, loss of interest, and behavior disorder were higher as the game oriented life style was higher, and the withdrawal and emotional experience were higher, behavior disorder was higher. Moreover, it was also shown that as the loss of tolerance and control were higher, physiological symptoms were also found higher. Next, for its influence on anger, the loss of tolerance and control, the withdrawal and emotional experience among the sub-factors of the addiction were proved to increase the level of anger. For the addiction's influence on anger based on gender, the addiction of neither boys nor girls had influence on the whole anger fields. However, for boys, the loss of tolerance and control affected the peer relationship, and the withdrawal and emotional experience affected the authority relationship. On the other hand, the internet game addiction didn't affect anger of girls.

Based on the above research results, it was re-confirmed that Internet game addiction in the late childhood had a close relationship with depression and anger, and the addiction has a significantly negative impact on the children's emotion. Especially, as higher the addiction is, more affected the behavior disorder of depression and authority relationship of anger by the addiction. Also, this study found that depression is greatly affected by the loss of tolerance and control, the withdrawal and emotional experience, and confirmed that the effects of addiction on depression and anger are different for gender.