[Background]
Internet gaming addiction is an emerging behavior problem in adolescents worldwide. It is imperative to understand the psychosocial factors and underlying mechanisms of internet gaming addiction among adolescents. One study indicated that internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy mediated the relationship between peer influence and internet gaming addiction by using the cross-sectional study design. However, the causal pathways among peer influence, internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy, and internet gaming addiction were still unclear. Moreover, parental support was found to moderate the influence of tension reduction alcohol outcome expectancies on alcohol use. Thus, we proposed the effect of internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy on internet gaming addiction appeared to be weaker in students with higher parental support. Consequently, the present study was aimed to examine the moderating role of parental support on the effect of peer influence on internet gaming addiction mediating through internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy in a longitudinal design.
[Methods]
This study was conducted by a three-wave longitudinal study designed in 657 adolescents in grades 7 and 8. All participants were invited to join this study after gaining parents and student informed consent. They completed Internet Gaming Addiction Scale, Peer Influence for IGA, Positive Outcome Expectancy of Internet Gaming Questionnaire, and Social Support Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 20.0, and the PROCESS was used to test our hypothesized model.
[Results]
The results showed that peer influence (T1) had an indirect impact on internet gaming addiction (T3) through the mediation of internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy (T2), and parental support (T2) play a moderator in the effect of internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy (T2) on internet gaming addiction (T3). Further analyses indicated that only students with higher parental support were protected from the detrimental impact of high peer influence and high internet gaming expectancy on internet gaming addiction, compared with students with lower parental support.
[Conclusions]
The present study provides a greater understanding for the mechanism of internet gaming addiction, and suggests that parental support as an important protective factor against internet gaming addiction in students with high peer influence or internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy. Further study may examine whether prevention programs on reducing internet gaming use positive outcome expectancy, and improving parenting skills will help to prevent internet gaming addiction in adolescents.
