Relationships between parental attitudes, family functioning and Internet gaming disorder in adolescents attending school. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bonnaire, Céline; Phan, Olivier
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 255(2017)
• Page Start: 104
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Internet gaming disorder -- Adolescents -- Parental attitudes -- Family functioning -- Gender; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.05.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: While recent data suggest a high prevalence of adolescent with Internet gaming disorder, little is known about interpersonal factors that contributes or protect to this disorder. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the relationships between parental attitudes, adolescent perception of family functioning and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and explore gender differences. From a sample of 434 adolescents attending school (n =434; age 13.2 years), 383 non-problematic gamers (NPG, 196 males; 187 females) were compared with 37 problematic gamers (PG, 29 males; 8 females). Family functioning was assessed with the Family Relationship Index and parental attitudes with a questionnaire measuring rules, access to video games, monitoring and banning of video games. NPG have a better family cohesion while PG have more family conflict and a poorer family relationship. While rules about gaming use are important in males, for females, banning is associated with IGD. For both sex, parental monitoring, conflicts and family relationship are associated with IGD. These findings highlight the strong influence of parental attitudes and family functioning on the occurrence of IGD in adolescents and their gender specificities. Thus, prevention programs need to take into account the importance of parents, parenting and gender specificities. Highlights: NPG have a better family cohesion while PG have more family conflict and a poorer family relationship. Punishment or restriction could prevent excessive gaming in females while rules about gaming use prevent males from IGD. Family relationships and conflicts are associated with Internet gaming disorder in both sex. Parental monitoring is a major inhibitor of IGD in both males and females.