Exploring The Psychological Impact of Online Gaming on Adolescents: The Role of emotional intelligence in gaming addiction

In every region of the globe, addiction to the internet is a significant issue. The issue of addiction to the internet among teenagers may be a significant crisis that is equivalent to addiction to drugs in terms of the impact it has on personal life, family relationships, social conduct, and academic status. People who have a greater emotional intelligence are less likely to get hooked to the internet, according to scientific research. In spite of this, there is ongoing discussion on the nature and intensity of this relationship. The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between the level of emotional intelligence and the usage of online games among teenagers, as well as the relationship between emotional intelligence and the level of gaming addiction in relation to gender. A research with a cross-sectional design was carried out in the schools in the Dharmapuri district between the months of March and April 2021, with a total of 417 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years old. The Simple Random Sampling technique is used in order to choose both the educational institutions and the students themselves. TEIQue-SF, which is a 30-item emotional intelligence scale, and the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescent, which was developed by Jeroen S. Lemmens and colleagues, were the standard instruments that were used. The research was carried out on 471 youngsters ranging in age from 10 to 19. On the scale of potential scores for gaming addiction, the lowest possible score was 21, and the highest possible score was 105. The lowest possible score for emotional intelligence was 30, while the maximum possible score for emotional intelligence was at 150.At a significance level of p>0.05, the difference between men and females in terms of emotional intelligence and gaming addiction was not statistically significant that was found. Over the course of the study, it was seen that there existed a statistically significant link between tolerance and sociability, mood modulation and self-control, and relapse and sociability (p < 0.05). An excessive amount of time spent in front of a computer and excessive use of the internet may have negative effects on various aspects of their lives, including social, functional, physical, and psychological aspects. Additionally, it may cause them to neglect other important priorities, which puts them at risk for a variety of morbidities and, in the worst case scenario, death. A combination of pleasant emotional and cognitive experiences, as well as the absence of depression, is what constitutes happiness.