Abstract
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.
