Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model

Yin, Mengyun; Huang, Shihua; Yu, Chengfu

doi:10.3390/ijerph20043633

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Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model

by

Mengyun Yin

^1,2

,

Shihua Huang

^1,* and

Chengfu Yu

³

¹

Department of Applied Psychology, School of Public Health and Management, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China

²

School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China

³

School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3633; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043633

Submission received: 10 December 2022 / Revised: 9 February 2023 / Accepted: 15 February 2023 / Published: 18 February 2023

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Cyber Psychology and Behavior: Mental Health in Current Information Era)

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Abstract

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is significantly associated with depression across previous studies, and significantly affects the development of mental health among Chinese adolescents. In this two-wave longitudinal research, we tested the mediating role of maladaptive cognition and the moderating role of mindfulness in the linkage between depression and IGD among Chinese adolescents (N = 580, 355 females, average age = 15.76 years, SD = 1.31) who completed questionnaires. Results of regression-based analyses showed that depression was positively related to IGD. Maladaptive cognition significantly mediated the link between depression and IGD. Moreover, mindfulness moderated the second part of the mediation process. Specifically, as the level of mindfulness increased, the influence of depression on the future IGD through maladaptive cognition was weakened. The present study demonstrates the key roles of maladaptive cognition and mindfulness in the link between depression and IGD, and further supports the cognitive–behavioral model of pathological Internet use.

Keywords: depression; internet gaming disorder; maladaptive cognition; mindfulness; adolescents

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yin, M.; Huang, S.; Yu, C. Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 3633. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043633

AMA Style

Yin M, Huang S, Yu C. Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(4):3633. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043633

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yin, Mengyun, Shihua Huang, and Chengfu Yu. 2023. "Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 4: 3633. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043633

APA Style

Yin, M., Huang, S., & Yu, C. (2023). Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3633. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043633

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Depression and Internet Gaming Disorder among Chinese Adolescents: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model

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