An empirical investigation of the externalizing and internalizing pathways to disordered gaming behavior: A longitudinal study across childhood and adolescence

• Published in: Computers in human behavior Vol. 128; p. 107096
• Main Authors: Richard, Jérémie, Temcheff, Caroline, Fletcher, Émilie, Lemieux, Annie, Derevensky, Jeffrey, Déry, Michèle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elmsford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2022; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescents; Child development; Children; Empirical analysis; Externalizing problems; Gaming disorder; Growth models; Internalizing problems; Longitudinal studies; Longitudinal study; Problem video gaming; Regression analysis; Risk; Time measurement; Youth; Externalizing problems; Internalizing problems; Gaming disorder; Problem video gaming; Longitudinal study
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2021.107096

Problematic engagement in video gaming is a prevalent concern among youth with an increasing number of adolescents reporting symptoms of gaming disorder. There is a need for longitudinal research evaluating factors in childhood that increase the risk of endorsing symptoms of gaming disorder in adolescence. Children (N = 744, 53.2% boys, Mage = 8.3, SD = 0.93 years old), were followed over five years, with questionnaires for internalizing and externalizing problems being completed yearly (Time 1 to Time 5), and disordered gaming being measured at Time 6. Parallel process growth models were utilized to establish trajectories for externalizing and internalizing problems over time. Findings from regression analyses indicated that initial levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems significantly predicted disordered gaming symptoms six years later. Additionally, the development of internalizing problems over time was significant in predicting disordered gaming symptoms. The interaction effects for intercept and slope of internalizing and externalizing problems were non-significant and no differences based on sex were identified. Children with internalizing and/or externalizing problems appear to be at a greater risk of developing symptoms of disordered gaming in adolescence. A pattern of increasing internalizing problems from childhood to adolescence seems to further exacerbate this risk. •Disordered gaming was predicted by early internalizing and externalizing problems.•A smaller temporal decrease of internalizing problems predicted disordered gaming.•The interaction of these problems did not predict disordered gaming.•Developmentally distal risk factors are present for the development of disordered gaming.