The independent impacts of perceived immediate and future benefits of internet gaming on internet gaming disorder among adolescent internet gamers in China: Mediation via internet gaming time

Abstract

Perceived benefit of internet gaming was positively associated with gaming time and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Yet, most studies looked at the impact of perceived immediate but not future benefits. The key objectives of this study included the investigation of the independent associations between the overall scales/subscales (mental health, social relationship, and personal achievement) of perceived immediate/future benefits and IGD, and the mediations of such associations via gaming time. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adolescent internet gamers in Guangzhou and Chengdu, China from October 2019 to January 2020 (n = 1707). The prevalence of IGD was 16.9%. Only 18%–25% and 13%–20% perceived no and strong immediate/future benefits in the three aforementioned domains, respectively. Within individuals, the paired differences in the levels of perceived immediate versus future benefits were of small effect size. The overall scales and all six types of perceived immediate and future benefits were significantly associated with IGD. All (except two) such associations were partially/fully mediated by gaming time. Hence, the participants commonly perceived comparable immediate and future benefits, which may increase gaming time and then increase IGD. Future longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings. Innovative interventions modifying perceived immediate/future benefits may reduce gaming time/IGD.