The Relationship of Online Gaming with Mental Health in Adolescents at SMP Negeri 1 Bulukumba

Introduction: Online gaming is one of the most popular hobbies among young people and adults in the modern era. Out of 987 students at SMP Negeri 1 Bulukumba, nearly all own a smartphone, and around 80% actively play online games, many of which contain violence. Online gaming has the potential to affect mental health, trigger stress, anxiety, as well as emotional and social problems. Some students display excessive emotions when losing or experiencing network disruptions, even going as far as throwing their smartphones. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between online gaming and mental health among adolescents at SMP Negeri 1 Bulukumba. Methods: This research is a quantitative study with an analytical observational approach and a cross-sectional design. The population consisted of seventh- and eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Bulukumba, with a total sample of 199 respondents selected using purposive sampling. The research instruments included online gaming activity and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) to measure mental health status. Data were analyzed using the Chi-Square test. Results: The analysis showed that most students play online games. A large proportion of students also demonstrated indications of mental health problems based on the SRQ-20 scores. The Chi-Square test resulted in a p-value of 0.006 (