THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ONLINE GAME ADDICTION AND EMOTIONAL CHANGES AMONG SCHOOLAGE AT UPT SDN GARUDA MAKASSAR

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between online game addiction and emotional changes among school-age children at UPT SDN Garuda Makassar. The phenomenon of increasing gadget and online game use among children has become a major concern because it can affect their emotional and social aspects. This research employed a quantitative method with a descriptive correlational design and a cross-sectional approach. The population consisted of all fifth- and sixth-grade students totaling 37 respondents, with 34 students meeting the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed statistically using a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that most respondents experienced online game addiction (18 students or 52.9%) and emotional changes (18 students or 52.9%). Based on the bivariate test results, a p-value of 0.007 (p < 0.05) was obtained, indicating a significant relationship between online game addiction and emotional changes among school-age children.