Exploring the Mechanism of Pathological Gaming in Adolescents: Focused on the Mediation Paths and Latent Group Comparison

Pathological gaming among adolescents has been reported to hamper the achievement of a balanced life and to threaten the development of social competencies. Despite the increasing social concerns on the adolescent users, however, the mechanism of gaming behavior of adolescents has not been sufficiently examined. This study explored the mechanism of pathological gaming among adolescents from 3-year longitudinal data of 778 Korean adolescent gamers, by analyzing the effects of negative affects (i.e., anxiety, loneliness, and academic stress) on the degree of pathological gaming through the mediation variables (i.e., aggression and self-control) based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to uncover potential risk groups, and through partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis, the mediation pathways to pathological gaming were compared between the risk group and the non-risk group. The results highlighted the key role of academic stress on the degree of pathological gaming. In the entire group, academic stress primarily increased pathological gaming through self-control. The mediation path of self-control was the most influential result in the risk group. Aggression was the key mediator between loneliness and pathological gaming in the non-risk group. The theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed.

Excessive smartphone use in adolescents: A cross-sectional investigation of gender differences and associated factors (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Excessive smartphone use is a new and debated phenomenon frequently mentioned in the context of behavioural addiction, showing both shared and separate traits when compared to pathological gaming and gambling. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe excessive smartphone use and associated factors in adolescents focusing on comparisons between boys and girls. METHODS This study was based on data collected through a public health survey distributed in 2016 to pupils in 9th grade of primary school and in 2th grade of secondary school. The response rate was 77% in 9th grade and 73% in 2nd grade. In total 13498 participants were included RESULTS Excessive smartphone use was associated with the experience of both cigarettes, alcohol and other substances. The reporting of both anxiety/worries and feeling low more than once a week increased the probability of excessive smartphone use among girls consistently while anxiety/worries elevated the probability of excessive smartphone use among boys. The reporting of less than 7 hours of sleep per night was associated to excessive smartphone use in all four study groups. CONCLUSIONS The results varied across sex and grade in terms of robustness and size of the estimated difference. However excessive smartphone use was associated with a higher frequency of multiple suspected associated factors, including ever having tried smoking, alcohol, and other substances, poor sleep, and often feeling low and often feeling anxious. The current study brings light to some features and distinctions of a potentially problematic behaviour among adolescents of today.

Pathological gaming in South Korean adolescents from the perspectives of self-esteem and self-control

We empirically tested how environmental factors (i.e., parents, peers, and teachers) around South Korean adolescents affect the psychological factors (i.e., self-esteem and self-control) related to self-identify formation, and how each of these factors ultimately affects pathological gaming. Using a three-wave (6-month interval per wave) panel survey design, we conducted a survey with 1,037 adolescents in South Korea and verified the relationships using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that adolescents with higher self-control and selfesteem showed low levels of pathological gaming. Self-control (vs. gaming time) had a stronger effect on pathological gaming, and school environment (vs. gaming time) had a greater effect on self-control. Selfesteem, mostly influenced by parental environment, diminished pathological gaming. Our results show the critical role of these psychological factors in preventing adolescents' pathological gaming, regardless of gaming time.

Long-Term Effects of In-Game Purchases and Event Game Mechanics on Young Mobile Social Game Players in Japan

Background. The mobile game market has been rapidly growing worldwide, especially in Japan. Because mobile games often use a free-to-play business model that involves additional in-game purchases, some monetary and event mechanics of mobile games have been controversial in Japan. Purpose. This study explored the long-term effects of monetary and event features of game mechanics on pathological gaming, weekly exposure and monthly expenditure among teenagers and young adults in Japan. Method. A total of 948 teenagers and young adults participated two surveys in November 2013 and in May 2014. Pathological gaming, weekly game exposure, monthly expenditure and preference for gambling were measured. The participants listed up to three games they played, and their monetary and event mechanics were analysed using content analysis. The degrees of exposure to each mechanics were calculated by combining the content analysis with a longitudinal study. Results. Players who were exposed to a higher amount of limited-time only gacha, a virtual lottery machine, were likely to spend more money six months later. However, players who were exposed to a lower amount of normal gacha were likely to spend more money later among players who preferred gambling. No monetary effects on pathological gaming per se were found. Conclusion. This study shows that some game mechanics can cause excessive use of time and money for certain players.