School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study

Abstract BackgroundSchool climate and school identification are important features of the school environment and potential determinants of adolescent internet gaming disorder (IGD). ObjectiveThis novel study investigated their joint effects on IGD and related media...

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Main Authors: Yanqiu Yu, Stefanie H Y Yen, Deborah Baofeng Wang, Anise M S Wu, Juliet Honglei Chen, Guohua Zhang, Mengni Du, Dajin Du, Mingxuan Du, Joseph T F Lau
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2024-11-01
Series:JMIR Serious Games
Online Access:https://games.jmir.org/2024/1/e50418
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author Yanqiu Yu
Stefanie H Y Yen
Deborah Baofeng Wang
Anise M S Wu
Juliet Honglei Chen
Guohua Zhang
Mengni Du
Dajin Du
Mingxuan Du
Joseph T F Lau
author_facet Yanqiu Yu
Stefanie H Y Yen
Deborah Baofeng Wang
Anise M S Wu
Juliet Honglei Chen
Guohua Zhang
Mengni Du
Dajin Du
Mingxuan Du
Joseph T F Lau
author_sort Yanqiu Yu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract BackgroundSchool climate and school identification are important features of the school environment and potential determinants of adolescent internet gaming disorder (IGD). ObjectiveThis novel study investigated their joint effects on IGD and related mediation mechanisms via the interpersonal factor of teacher-student relationship and the individual factors of academic stress and anxiety. MethodsA large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescent internet gamers of junior, senior, and vocational middle schools in Taizhou City, China, from February to March 2022 (N=5778). Participants self-administered an anonymous, structured questionnaire in classrooms. Adjusted logistic regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for data analysis. ResultsAmong all participants, the prevalence of IGD was 8% (461/5778). The 4 school climate subscales (student-student relationship subscale: adjusted odds ratio [ORa] 0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.91; student-staff relations subscale: ORa 0.87, 95% CI 0.84-0.90; academic emphasis subscale: ORa 0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.91; shared values approach: ORa 0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.90), the school identification subscale (ORa 0.85, 95% CI 0.83-0.88), and teacher-student relationship (ORa 0.80, 95% CI 0.76-0.84) were significant protective factors against IGD, while academic stress (ORa 1.18, 95% CI 1.14-1.23) and anxiety (ORa 1.16, 95% CI 1.14-1.18) were risk factors of IGD. The SEM showed that the negative associations between school climate and IGD and between school identification and IGD were mediated via (1) three 2-step paths, each involving a single mediator—teacher-student relationship, academic stress, and anxiety, respectively—and (2) two 3-step paths involving 2 mediators—teacher-student relationship and academic stress first, respectively, and then anxiety. The direct effect of school climate on IGD was statistically nonsignificant (ie, full mediation with effect size ranging from 4.2% to 20.4%), while that of school identification was statistically significant (ie, partial mediation with effect size ranging from 4.5% to 38.2%). ConclusionsThe relatively high prevalence of IGD among Chinese adolescents may be reduced through school-based interventions to improve school climate and school identification. Such improvements may reduce the levels of risk factors of IGD (poor teacher-student relationship, academic stress, and anxiety) and hence the risk of IGD. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to confirm the findings.
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institution Kabale University
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language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
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series JMIR Serious Games
spelling doaj-art-b5398974a1c742c3a668f5e4168e0af02024-12-03T06:01:13ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Serious Games2291-92792024-11-0112e50418e5041810.2196/50418School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation StudyYanqiu Yuhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-7953-6320Stefanie H Y Yenhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-7541-6030Deborah Baofeng Wanghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6459-830XAnise M S Wuhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-8174-6581Juliet Honglei Chenhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6564-5390Guohua Zhanghttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2743-3167Mengni DuDajin Duhttp://orcid.org/0009-0000-6842-2013Mingxuan Duhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-6740-4251Joseph T F Lauhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2344-7107 Abstract BackgroundSchool climate and school identification are important features of the school environment and potential determinants of adolescent internet gaming disorder (IGD). ObjectiveThis novel study investigated their joint effects on IGD and related mediation mechanisms via the interpersonal factor of teacher-student relationship and the individual factors of academic stress and anxiety. MethodsA large-scale cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescent internet gamers of junior, senior, and vocational middle schools in Taizhou City, China, from February to March 2022 (N=5778). Participants self-administered an anonymous, structured questionnaire in classrooms. Adjusted logistic regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used for data analysis. ResultsAmong all participants, the prevalence of IGD was 8% (461/5778). The 4 school climate subscales (student-student relationship subscale: adjusted odds ratio [ORa] 0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.91; student-staff relations subscale: ORa 0.87, 95% CI 0.84-0.90; academic emphasis subscale: ORa 0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.91; shared values approach: ORa 0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.90), the school identification subscale (ORa 0.85, 95% CI 0.83-0.88), and teacher-student relationship (ORa 0.80, 95% CI 0.76-0.84) were significant protective factors against IGD, while academic stress (ORa 1.18, 95% CI 1.14-1.23) and anxiety (ORa 1.16, 95% CI 1.14-1.18) were risk factors of IGD. The SEM showed that the negative associations between school climate and IGD and between school identification and IGD were mediated via (1) three 2-step paths, each involving a single mediator—teacher-student relationship, academic stress, and anxiety, respectively—and (2) two 3-step paths involving 2 mediators—teacher-student relationship and academic stress first, respectively, and then anxiety. The direct effect of school climate on IGD was statistically nonsignificant (ie, full mediation with effect size ranging from 4.2% to 20.4%), while that of school identification was statistically significant (ie, partial mediation with effect size ranging from 4.5% to 38.2%). ConclusionsThe relatively high prevalence of IGD among Chinese adolescents may be reduced through school-based interventions to improve school climate and school identification. Such improvements may reduce the levels of risk factors of IGD (poor teacher-student relationship, academic stress, and anxiety) and hence the risk of IGD. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to confirm the findings.https://games.jmir.org/2024/1/e50418
spellingShingle Yanqiu Yu
Stefanie H Y Yen
Deborah Baofeng Wang
Anise M S Wu
Juliet Honglei Chen
Guohua Zhang
Mengni Du
Dajin Du
Mingxuan Du
Joseph T F Lau
School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
JMIR Serious Games
title School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
title_full School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
title_fullStr School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
title_full_unstemmed School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
title_short School Climate and School Identification as Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescent Internet Gamers: Cross-Sectional Mediation Study
title_sort school climate and school identification as determinants of internet gaming disorder among chinese adolescent internet gamers cross sectional mediation study
url https://games.jmir.org/2024/1/e50418
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