Sensation Seeking and Event-related Potentials CNV (Contingent Negative Variation) Study in Adolescents with Internet Game Addiction

Objective To investigate the psychological factors related to internet game addiction disorder in Chinese adolescents and compare the differences in sensation seeking and event-related potentials CNV(contingent negative variation) traits and basis between IAD and common adolescents.Methods 15 adolescents with internet game addiction and 15 common adolescents were interviewed with sensation seeking scale and an event-related potential CNV was recorded from them by using a 64-lead event related potentials (ERP) workstation made by BP Company of Germany.Results (1) There were significant differences in sensation seeking total scores and Dis scores ( P < 0.05) . (2) There were no significant differences in key reaction time and accuracy between internet game addicts and non-addiction group. (3) The internet game addiction group presented irregular CNV waveform; Compared with the control group, A point of latency in the internet game addiction group was more retarded than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the average amplitude of the negative change and the average amplitude of PINV in the internet game addiction group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05); (4)There was relationship between internet game addiction disorder and sensation seeking ( r = 0.273 , P < 0.05) .Conclusion (1) sensation seeking total scores and Dis scores of the internet game addicts are Clearly higher than non-addiction group’s, which show that they have very high sensation seeking Personality.(2) Internet game addict’s latency are more retarded than that in the control group, and internet game addict’s amplitude are lower than those in the control group, which hint: the addictional action of internet game maybe damage addict’s process capacity to information and cause the addict’s cognitive more lower.(3) Event-related potentials CNV and sensation seeking may be tried as diagnosis and prediction of the indicators for internet game addiction and provide a basis for studying mechanisms of internet game addiction.