ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENCES IN ONLINE GAMING ADDICTION AMONG URBAN AND RURAL STUDENTS

Abstract

The addiction to online games among adolescents in urban and rural areas has become a serious problem
that requires comprehensive intervention. This study aims to identify the differences in online game
addiction among students in urban and rural areas, as well as its impact on education, social life, and
health. The study utilizes a comparative study design with a cross-sectional approach and involves students
from two secondary schools in Nagan Raya Regency. The research sample was obtained using total
sampling technique, and the data were analyzed using the Mann Whitney test and logistic regression. The
Game Addicting Scale (GAS) was employed to measure the level of online game addiction. The results
indicate that 37.9% of students in urban areas and 30.3% of students in rural areas experience online game
addiction and exhibit abnormal mental health. There is a significant relationship between abnormal mental
health and online game addiction in both areas. The duration of game play is also significantly associated
with addiction, as students who play games for 2 hours or more have a 4 times higher risk of experiencing
addiction. No significant relationship was found between specific game types or gender (specifically
female) and online game addiction. However, there is a significant relationship between being 18 years old
and online game addiction, as well as between the number of mobile operators and signal conditions with
online game addiction. Students living in areas with more than one mobile operator have an 18 times higher
risk, while students living in strong signal conditions also have a higher risk of experiencing online game
addiction