Introduction:

it is unknown the pattern of video game use in adolescents who are treated at the Encrucijada Community Mental Health Center with subjective symptoms of addiction to these technologies.

Objective:

to characterize the pattern of video game use in adolescents who are treated at the Community Mental Health Center.

Methods:

a cross-sectional study was developed, 93 adolescents constituted the universe and 89 the sample, selected by non-probabilistic convenience sampling. A semi-structured interview and the video game dependence test were applied. Sociodemographic variables and variables related to the pattern of video game use were defined. Statistically, the Chi-square test of independence and the Chi-square test of independence were used.

Results:

58.4% of the adolescents were in the intermediate stage and 51.7% showed moderate dependence on video games, mainly male patients (62.5%). Action games (38.2%) and sports games (24.7%) were the preferred games. Cell phones were used by 61.9% and it was common to play with a partner (70.8%) and at home (59.5%). They generally played four to six days a week and three or fewer days (39.3%); 44.9% reported playing between three and five hours a day.

Conclusions:

adolescents in the intermediate stage, male, were common. Most of them identified themselves as having a moderate dependence on video games, a fact conditioned by their male sex. They preferred action and sports games. They usually played with the cell phone, together with another partner, at home, between three days or less and between four and six days a week and with an intensity of three to five hours a day.

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