Adolescent Problematic Gaming And Its Association With Parental Factors: Sharpening The Focus From Distal To Proximal Mechanisms

While for most adolescents playing video games constitutes a pleasurable recreational activity, some users can experience problematic gaming (PG) associated with psycho-social impairment (Nogueira-López et al., 2023). Despite much research on the risk and protective factors of adolescent PG has documented the key role of parental factors (Nielsen et al., 2020), there are still many gaps and limitations. Drawing from the Rainbow Model of Health Determinants (Dahlgren & Whitehead, 1991; 2021) and the Ecological Techno-Subsystem Theory (Johnson & Puplampu, 2008), this research project aimed to provide novel evidence on the associations between parental factors and adolescent PG by sharpening the focus from distal to proximal mechanisms. Study 1 (multi-level) examined the role of macro-level factors (family benefits and economic inequalities) and proximal-level factors (perceived parental regulation and monitoring, family support) in explaining the risk of PG in a representative sample of 15- to 16-year-old students (n = 88 998; 49.2% males). Data were drawn from the 2019 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Multi-level logistic regression analyses were conducted. Main results: higher family benefits, stronger parental regulation and higher family support were associated with a reduced risk of adolescent PG. Study 2 (dyadic) investigated multiple informants’ reports of adolescent PG and maternal behaviours (warmth and indifference) and disentangled the associations between the behaviours that were shared by mothers and adolescents. Data were collected at school in Italy by using self-administered online questionnaires from n = 137 mother-adolescent dyads (adolescents: n = 92 males, n = 42 females, n = 3 nonbinary, Mage = 14.68 ±1.25; mothers: Mage = 47.48 ±4.69). Main results: Pearson’s correlations revealed positive associations between maternal indifference and adolescent PG for both informants, while Common Fate Model results indicated that correlations between maternal behaviours and adolescent PG based on shared perceptions were not significant. Study 3 (longitudinal) employed a two-wave research design to test a model evaluating the direct impact of maternal and paternal phubbing behaviours (snubbing via mobile phone) at Wave 1 (W1) on later adolescent PG at Wave 2 (W2) and their indirect impact via maternal and paternal indifference (W2), and potential gender differences. Data were collected at school in Italy via self-administered surveys in a sample of n = 557 adolescent gamers (Mage = 15.62 ±1.54; 69% males). Path analyses and multi-group comparisons were conducted. Main results: maternal phubbing (W1) indirectly predicted adolescent PG (W2) via increased maternal indifference (W2) in both males and females, whereas paternal phubbing (W1) directly and indirectly predicted adolescent PG (W2) via paternal indifference (W2) only in females. Study 4 (cross-sectional) separately examined, in mothers and fathers, the direct associations between supportive parenting practices (autonomy support, structure, warmth) and thwarting practices (coercion, chaos, rejection) and adolescent PG, their indirect associations via basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration, and potential gender differences. Data were collected at school via self-administered online questionnaires in a sample of n = 1193 gamers (Mage = 15.81 ±1.58; 64.3% males). Path analyses and multi-group comparisons were performed. Main results: Coercion by both parents was directly associated with increased PG and the three thwarting practices by both parents were indirectly associated with higher adolescent PG via need frustration in both males and females. In conclusion, these four studies could be regarded as an original empirical contribution that may provide important indications to national governments and healthcare professionals working to prevent adolescent PG and promote a healthy use of technology.