Psychiatry Investig. 2026 Sep;23(9):1123-1130. doi: 10.30773/pi.2026.0110. Epub 2026 Sep 1.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Problematic internet gaming is an increasing mental health concern in adolescence; however, not all individuals exposed to known risk factors develop maladaptive gaming behaviors. Although aggression and self-control have each been linked to gaming-related problems, their interactive effects remain insufficiently understood.
METHODS: This study examined whether self-control moderates the association between aggression and problematic internet gaming among adolescents. Baseline data from 1,914 first-grade middle school students participating in the internet gaming disorder cohort study (Internet User Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of Gaming Disorder in Early Adolescence) were analyzed. Gaming-related problems were assessed using the Internet Gaming Use-Elicited Symptom Screen. Aggression and self-control were measured with validated self-report scales. Depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms were included as covariates. Group differences were examined using t-tests and chi-square tests.
RESULTS: Moderation analyses tested whether self-control altered the association between aggression and gaming-related problems. Self-control significantly moderated the association between aggression and gaming-related problems, such that higher self-control attenuated the positive relationship between aggression and problematic gaming. Gaming-related problems were more prevalent among males, adolescents whose parents had a high school education or lower, and those not residing in two-parent households.
CONCLUSION: Self-control influences the strength of the association between aggression and maladaptive gaming behaviors in adolescence, underscoring its role as a protective factor in problematic internet gaming.
PMID:42732776 | DOI:10.30773/pi.2026.0110
