Problematic internet gaming in adolescents, and its relationship with emotional regulation and perceived social support

Abstract

Technological developments and the increased use of the internet have created some risks for adolescents, including problematic internet gaming (PIG). The aim of this study is to investigate the role of age, gender, emotional dysregulation and perceived social support in PIG. The study was conducted with 1,291 adolescents. Participants completed the game addiction scale (GAS), difficulties in emotion regulation scale (DERS), and multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS) under the observation of their teachers. According to the results of the GAS, participants were divided into two groups: those with PIG and those without PIG. The effect of age, gender, DERS scores, and MSPSS scores on PIG was investigated using stepwise logistic regression analysis. The mean age of participants was 14.7 years and the frequency of PIG was 13.5% (n = 144). The frequency of PIG was significantly higher in males than in females. The results showed that male gender, high emotional dysregulation and low perceived social support were significantly associated with PIG. The present study indicate that PIG is highly observed in adolescents, especially in males, and as in other behavioral addictions, emotional dysregulation and perceived social support can play an important role in PIG.