Empathy and Video Game Addiction in Adolescents: Serial Mediation by Psychological Resilience and Life satisfaction

Abstract

In this study, it was examined whether empathy is related to video game addiction and whether psychological resilience and life satisfaction mediate this relationship. The sample comprised 324 Turkish adolescents (aged between 11 and 15, mean of age was 13.01), who completed measures of empathy, psychological resilience, life satisfaction, and video game addiction. The results of the serial multiple mediation analysis demonstrated that empathy had a significant direct effect on video game addiction. Psychological resilience had a mediating effect on the association between empathy and video game addiction. Also, life satisfaction had a mediating effect on the association between empathy and video game addiction. Psychological resilience and life satisfaction, serially (in combination) mediated the relationship between empathy and video game addiction. The results of the present study are discussed within the related literature. It is suggested that video game addiction interventions should focus on increasing empathy, psychological resilience, and life satisfaction.