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Published in Gaming

Gamers more likely to drink, abuse drugs

by on26 January 2009


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According to US study

 

Boffins at Utah's Brigham Young University have conducted a wide ranging study to prove something all of us already know. Gamers are more likely to drink alcohol and use drugs than regular folk.

The study focused on 800 university students. More than 55 percent of male students who took part said they were regular players, gaming at least every other day. Around 7 percent of women played games as often as them, but games seem to impact their self-esteem much worse, which doesn't come as much of a surprise, as few men have any self-esteem to begin with.

The study finds gamers are around 10 percent more likely to drink and use drugs. Regular gamers, who indulge every day, are three times as likely to use cannabis as non-gamers.

"The most striking part is that everything we found clustered around video game use is negative," said Prof Laura Walker, who led the study.

According to the study, as the time spent gaming increases, relationships with friends and family members deteriorate, but it does say the effects are modest. Walker's team now plans to test the effect of gaming on romantic relationships.

More here.

 

 


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