Assessment of Children’s Experiences of Playing Computer Games: A Phenomenological Approach

Introduction:  Due to the Attraction and enormous diversity of computer games, children and adolescents allocate a notable part of their time and energy to play these games. This necessitates the study of their Advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the aim of this study was to represent the outcomes of playing computer games in the fourth grade students. Method: This is a qualitative and phenomenological study. In this study, 10 students were selected from the forth grade elementary students using purposive sampling and interviewed in-depth until data saturation was achieved. Data were coded and analyzed manually using Smith and MAXQDA 10 software. Results:  The findings were categorized into four main themes: "physical outcomes, psychological outcomes, social outcomes, and educational outcomes" and 17 sub-themes. Conclusion:  Students' experiences showed that playing computer games for a long time and without parental supervision, has various adverse outcomes, therefore, schools and families can significantly prevent such outcomes by supervision and planning.