Video game addiction, psychological distress on rise among Ont. students: study

CTV Toronto: Psychological distress in teens A new study by CAMH found that one third of teens in Ontario say they’re suffering from some degree of psychological distress.

TORONTO - A new survey suggests video game addiction and psychological distress are on the rise among Ontario middle and high school students.

A study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto says more than one in three students in Grades 7 to 12 reported experiencing high levels of psychological distress, which is defined as symptoms of depression and anxiety, last year.

Dr. Robert Mann, who co-led the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, says that represents a 10-per-cent jump since the last study two years earlier.

The study also found that 13 per cent of participating students reported symptoms of a video gaming problem, including preoccupation, loss of control, withdrawal and disregard for consequences.

That's up from nine per cent in 2007, the first year that problem video gaming was monitored.

The centre says problem video gaming is especially prevalent among boys, with 20 per cent reporting symptoms, compared with five per cent of girls.