Developmental pathways from parental rejection to adolescent internet gaming disorder: A parallel process latent growth model

Abstract

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is known to be associated with significant impairment in adolescents’ social, family, school and psychological functioning. However, the antecedents of this disorder are not well understood. In this one-year longitudinal study we tested parental rejection as a precursor to symptoms of IGD in adolescents, taking into account the role of adolescent anxiety. A sample of 1987 Chinese adolescents (56.1% male) completed questionnaires regarding parental rejection, anxiety and IGD in the fall semester of 7th grade (Time 1), with follow-up data collected in the spring semester of 7th grade (Time 2) and fall semester of 8th grade (Time 3). Tests of parallel process latent growth models, controlling for gender, age and socioeconomic status, indicated that parental rejection was associated with symptoms of IGD at baseline, and anxiety mediated this link; more importantly, the trajectory of parental rejection and the trajectory of IGD were also associated, and were mediated by trajectory in anxiety. The results are discussed in terms of self-determination theory and in terms of their potential applied value in designing interventions to reduce adolescents’ risk of IGD.