Negative Life Events and Online Gaming in College Students
Author Information
Author(s): Zhao Zhenyu, Zhao Mengmeng, Wang Ruixin, Pan Huiru, Li Lina, Luo Hongge
Primary Institution: North China University of Science and Technology
Hypothesis
Negative life events can positively predict problematic online gaming use.
Conclusion
Negative life events and anxiety significantly predict problematic online gaming use, while basic psychological needs negatively predict it.
Supporting Evidence
- Negative life events significantly and positively predicted problematic online gaming use.
- Basic psychological needs and anxiety played a mediating role in the relationship between negative life events and problematic online gaming use.
- Boredom proneness significantly moderated the relationship between negative life events and problematic online gaming use.
Takeaway
When college students face bad things in life, they might play video games too much to feel better. If they don't get what they need to be happy, they can feel anxious and play even more.
Methodology
The study surveyed 1,102 college students using various psychological scales to assess negative life events, psychological needs, anxiety, and gaming behavior.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported measures and the specific demographic of the sample.
Limitations
The sample was limited to one university, which may affect generalizability, and the cross-sectional design limits causal inferences.
Participant Demographics
881 participants with experience in online gaming, aged 17 to 23, including 60.1% females and 39.9% males.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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