Ego Function Assessment and Internet Addiction.

This study examined the relationship between trauma, ego functioning, and internet addiction. We recruited 323 participants via Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing platform that can be used for survey research. We gave participants the Internet Addiction Test, the Life Events Checklist, the Ego Function Assessment questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire. Our results indicate that 41.5% reported no internet addiction, with the majority of our sample reporting behaviors that were consistent with internet addiction: mild internet addiction = 37.8%, moderate internet addiction = 19.8%, and severe internet addiction = 0.9%. The constrictive factor of ego functioning was significantly worse in those with internet addiction. Path analysis showed that the constrictive factor of ego functioning partially mediated the relationship between a self-reported history of trauma and the presence of self-reported internet addiction.

Associations of vegetable and fruit intake, physical activity, and school bullying with depressive symptoms in secondary school students: the mediating role of internet addiction.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have simultaneously focused on the associations of vegetable and fruit intake, physical activity, school bullying, and Internet addiction (IA) with depressive symptoms. This study aimed to explore the direct and indirect effects of the above factors on depressive symptoms in adolescents by constructing a structural equation model (SEM). METHODS: This study was conducted in Qingdao from September to November 2021. A total of 6195 secondary school students aged 10-19 years were included in the analysis. Information on all variables was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. An SEM was constructed with depressive symptoms as the endogenous latent variable, IA as the mediating variable, and vegetable and fruit intake, physical activity, and school bullying as the exogenous latent variables. The standardized path coefficients (ß) were the direct effects between the latent variables, and the indirect effects were obtained by the product of direct effects between relevant latent variables. RESULTS: The median value with the interquartile range of depressive symptom scores was 7 (3,12). Vegetable and fruit intake (ß=-0.100, P<0.001) and physical activity (ß=-0.140, P<0.001) were directly negatively related to depressive symptoms. While school bullying (ß=0.138, P<0.001) and IA (ß=0.452, P<0.001) were directly positively related to depressive symptoms. IA had the greatest impact on depressive symptoms. Vegetable and fruit intake, physical activity, and school bullying could not only directly affect depressive symptoms, but also indirectly affect depressive symptoms through the mediating effect of IA, the indirect effects and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were -0.028 (-0.051, -0.007), -0.114 (-0.148, -0.089) and 0.095 (0.060, 0.157), respectively. The results of the multi-group analysis showed that the SEM we constructed still fit in boy and girl groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that vegetable and fruit intake, physical activity, school bullying, and IA had a significant direct impact on depressive symptoms, among which IA had the greatest impact. In addition, both vegetable and fruit intake, school bullying, and physical activity indirectly affected depressive symptoms through the mediating effect of IA. The impact of IA on depressive symptoms should be given extra attention by schools and parents. This study provides a scientific and effective basis for the prevention and control of adolescent depressive symptoms.

Association between childhood trauma and Internet gaming disorder: a moderated mediation analysis with depression as a mediator and psychological resilience as a moderator.

BACKGROUND: The effect of childhood trauma on Internet gaming disorder remains unclear. In this study, we examined this association in Chinese students and explored the possible associated roles of psychological resilience and depression. METHODS: In total, 8,579 students from Hunan Province, China, provided information regarding their sociodemographic factors, history of childhood trauma, any symptoms of depression, psychological resilience, and characteristics of Internet gaming disorder for this cross-sectional study. The impact of childhood trauma on Internet gaming disorder, as well as the extent to which it was mediated by depression and moderated by psychological resilience was evaluated. RESULTS: The influence of childhood trauma on Internet gaming disorder was partially mediated by depression (B = 0.07, 95% CI [0.04, 0.05], p < 0.001), with psychological resilience acting as a mitigating factor (B = -0.002, 95% CI [13.74, 21.72], p < 0.001). Psychological resilience also moderated the association between childhood trauma and depression (B = - 0.003, 95% CI [22.17, 28.10], p < 0.001). Our moderated mediation model elucidated psychosocial mechanisms, revealing the underlying link between childhood trauma and Internet gaming disorder. It also demonstrated the partial mediating role of depression and modulating role of psychological resilience among Chinese students. CONCLUSIONS: Education and interventions, along with effective social support, should be provided to enhance students' psychological resilience and prevent childhood trauma and depression.

The role of internet addiction and academic resilience in predicting the mental health of high school students in Tehran.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization defines mental health as a combination of two dimensions: the negative dimension, or negative mental health, which indicates the presence of mental disorders, symptoms, and problems, and the positive dimension, or positive mental health, which includes emotions and positive personal characteristics such as self-esteem, resilience against environmental challenges, a sense of integrity, and self-efficacy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of internet addiction and academic resilience in predicting the mental health of high school students in Tehran, Iran. METHOD: The research method employed was a survey. 758 people participated in the study, and the samples consisted of high school students in Tehran during the academic year 2022-2023. The process of collecting information was carried out by distributing the questionnaire link through virtual networks and schools. The research utilized Young's Internet Addiction Test, Samuels' Academic Resilience Inventory, and Goldberg's Mental Health Questionnaire as the research tools. Statistical tests, including Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis, were employed to investigate the relationships between variables. RESULT: The effect of internet addiction on mental health (ß=0.39) is negative and significant at the 0.001 level, while the effect of academic resilience on mental health (ß=0.66) is positive and significant at the 0.001 level. These two variables collectively predict 53% of the variance in students' mental health. This indicates that as internet addiction increases among students, their mental health significantly decreases, whereas higher levels of academic resilience correspond to higher mental health. CONCLUSIONS: This study has elucidated the role of internet addiction and academic resilience in predicting the mental health of high school students in Tehran. Given the significance of adolescent mental health, it is imperative for healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to develop intervention and prevention models to address mental health crises and plan for the enhancement of adolescent mental health.

Using machine learning algorithms and techniques for defining the impact of affective temperament types, content search and activities on the internet on the development of problematic internet use in adolescents' population.

Background: By using algorithms and Machine Learning - ML techniques, the aim of this research was to determine the impact of the following factors on the development of Problematic Internet Use (PIU): sociodemographic factors, the intensity of using the Internet, different contents accessed on the Internet by adolescents, adolescents' online activities, life habits and different affective temperament types. Methods: Sample included 2,113 adolescents. The following instruments were used: questionnaire about: socio-demographic characteristics, intensity of the Internet use, content categories and online activities on the Internet; Facebook (FB) usage and life habits; The Internet Use Disorder Scale (IUDS). Based on their scores on the scale, subjects were divided into two groups - with or without PIU; Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego scale for adolescents (A-TEMPS-A). Results: Various ML classification models on our data set were trained. Binary classification models were created (class-label attribute was PIU value). Models hyperparameters were optimized using grid search method and models were validated using k-fold cross-validation technique. Random forest was the model with the best overall results and the time spent on FB and the cyclothymic temperament were variables of highest importance for these model. We also applied the ML techniques Lasso and ElasticNet. The three most important variables for the development of PIU with both techniques were: cyclothymic temperament, the longer use of the Internet and the desire to use the Internet more than at present time. Group of variables having a protective effect (regarding the prevention of the development of PIU) was found with both techniques. The three most important were: achievement, search for contents related to art and culture and hyperthymic temperament. Next, 34 important variables that explain 0.76% of variance were detected using the genetic algorithms. Finally, the binary classification model (with or without PIU) with the best characteristics was trained using artificial neural network. Conclusion: Variables related to the temporal determinants of Internet usage, cyclothymic temperament, the desire for increased Internet usage, anxious and irritable temperament, on line gaming, pornography, and some variables related to FB usage consistently appear as important variables for the development of PIU.

Social anxiety and social networking service addiction proneness among university students: A moderated mediation model of narcissism and gender.

This study aims to investigate the mediation effect of narcissism and the mediation effect moderated by gender in the effect of social anxiety on university students' SNS addiction. In this cross-sectional survey, university students, aged 19 to 29 were selected from two provinces in South Korea. The sample size was calculated using G*power 3.1., and a sample of 170 university students was used in the final analysis. To perform the analysis, descriptive statistics; independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation were used. The data collected was statistically analyzed using SPSS Program 23.0 and SPSS PROCESS macro (version 4.0). The moderated mediation effect was significant in both male and female groups. The mediation effect of narcissism on the relationship between social anxiety and SNS addiction proneness was stronger in the female group than in the male group. The findings have the potential to provide substantial basic data for developing health promotion and education programs to reduce university students' social anxiety, narcissism, and SNS addiction.

Association between problematic social networking use and anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A growing number of studies have reported that problematic social networking use (PSNU) is strongly associated with anxiety symptoms. However, due to the presence of multiple anxiety subtypes, existing research findings on the extent of this association vary widely, leading to a lack of consensus. The current meta-analysis aimed to summarize studies exploring the relationship between PSNU levels and anxiety symptoms, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, attachment anxiety, and fear of missing out. 209 studies with a total of 172 articles were included in the meta-analysis, involving 252,337 participants from 28 countries. The results showed a moderately positive association between PSNU and generalized anxiety (GA), social anxiety (SA), attachment anxiety (AA), and fear of missing out (FoMO) respectively (GA: r = 0.388, 95% CI [0.362, 0.413]; SA: r = 0.437, 95% CI [0.395, 0.478]; AA: r = 0.345, 95% CI [0.286, 0.402]; FoMO: r = 0.496, 95% CI [0.461, 0.529]), and there were different regulatory factors between PSNU and different anxiety subtypes. This study provides the first comprehensive estimate of the association of PSNU with multiple anxiety subtypes, which vary by time of measurement, region, gender, and measurement tool.

Role of self-control, financial attitude, depression, anxiety, and stress in predicting consumers' online shopping addiction.

Online shopping addiction is a behavior that creates serious problems and has become increasingly prevalent in modern society. When addressing online shopping addiction, the direct or indirect causes of individuals' shopping actions must be taken into consideration. The present study aims to examine the effects of self-control, financial attitude, depression, anxiety, and stress on online shopping addiction by determining online shopping addiction, self-control, and financial attitude levels of consumers. The sample of this study consists of 694 voluntarily participating consumers selected through convenience sampling methods from a city in Türkiye. Data were collected through Google Forms and uploaded to the SPSS 25.0 package program. During the research process, the relationship patterns between self-control, financial attitude, depression, anxiety, and stress on online shopping addiction were examined by using structural equation modeling. It was determined in this study that consumers have moderate levels of financial attitude and self-control, and low levels of online shopping addiction. Given the results related to the relationships and hypotheses between variables, anxiety, depression, and financial attitude were found to have statistically significant effects on online shopping addiction, whereas stress and self-control were found to not have a significant effect. Within the scope of this study, it was identified that anxiety and depression positively affect online shopping addiction, whereas financial attitude has a negative effect.

The relationship between social withdrawal and problematic social media use in Chinese college students: a chain mediation of alexithymia and negative body image.

This study explores the relationship between social withdrawal and problematic social media use among college students, with a focus on the mediating roles of alexithymia and negative body image. Using the University Student Social Withdrawal Questionnaire, Social Media Addiction Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Negative Body Image Scale, 2582 college students (33.46% male, average age = 19.46 years, SD = 2.23) were surveyed. Social withdrawal, alexithymia, negative body image, and problematic social media use were significantly correlated with each other. Social withdrawal positively predicted problematic social media use, and both alexithymia and negative body image played a chain mediating role between social withdrawal and problematic social media use. The findings indicate that individual social withdrawal is associated with college students' problematic use of social media. The results suggest that alexithymia and negative body image may mediate this association, highlighting a potential pathway through which social withdrawal influences social media use patterns.

Personality Traits and Internet Addiction among Adolescent Students: The Moderating Role of Family Functioning.

Objectives: Internet addiction is a behavioral addiction characterized by excessive and compulsive use of the internet. The risk of internet addiction among adolescents has risen recently due to an increase in technological advancement and globalization. However, previous studies have focused on the precipitating factors triggering the internet addiction without looking at the exogenous factors and boundary conditions, such as family functioning, that can either sustain or weaken such behavior. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the moderating role of family functioning in the relationship between personality traits and internet addiction among adolescents. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study consisting of 3150 adolescent students in the grade/class level of JSS1-SS3 who were assessed with standardized measures of the Big-Five Personality Inventory, Internet Addictive Test, and Family APGAR Index. Pearson correlation was used to explore the bivariate relationships between the demographic variable and other variables of interest, while Hayes regression-based PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to test the Hypotheses. Results: (1) Openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism positively correlated with internet addiction, whereas agreeableness was negatively associated with internet addiction. (2) Positive family functioning correlated negatively with internet addiction. (3) Positive family functioning moderated the relationships of extraversion and agreeableness with internet addiction but not on openness to experience, conscientiousness, and neuroticism with internet addiction. Conclusions: Positive family functioning correlated negatively with internet addiction among adolescents, suggesting that improving family functioning would be a valuable tactic for reducing adolescents' susceptibility to personality-related internet addiction.

The effect of self-compassion on social media addiction among college students - The mediating role of gratitude: An observational study.

In contemporary society, social media pervades every aspect of daily life, offering significant benefits such as enhanced access to information, improved interconnectivity, and fostering community among its users. However, its usage, particularly when excessive, can lead to negative psychological outcomes, including the prevalence of social media addiction (SMA) among adolescents. While extensive research has been conducted on the phenomenon of SMA, there is a notable paucity of studies examining the link between individual levels of self-compassion and susceptibility to SMA. This study aims to investigate the correlation between self-compassion and SMA in college students, while also examining the potential mediating influence of gratitude. The study sampled 1131 college students who engaged in an anonymous online survey. This survey utilized the Chinese translations of the Self-Compassion Scale, Gratitude Questionnaire, and SMA Scale. For data analysis, validated factor analysis was performed using IBM® SPSS® AMOS™ version 23. Correlation analyses were carried out with IBM® SPSS® version 22.0, and the PROCESS macro (Model 4) was employed to assess path and mediation effects. Higher levels of positive self-compassion were found to mitigate the effects of SMA, while elevated levels of negative self-compassion were associated with an increase in such addiction. The study further revealed that gratitude played a partial mediating role in the relationship between self-compassion and SMA. Specifically, positive self-compassion can reduce symptoms of SMA by enhancing levels of gratitude, whereas negative self-compassion may worsen these symptoms by diminishing gratitude. Positive self-compassion is instrumental in fostering personal growth among college students, with gratitude serving as a significant mediator in reducing SMA.

Effect of paternal-maternal parenting styles on college students' internet addiction of different genders: The mediating role of life satisfaction.

This study aimed to understand the current situation of paternal-maternal parenting style, life satisfaction, and internet addiction among college students and explored the influence of paternal-maternal parenting styles and life satisfaction on the internet addiction of male and female college students. A questionnaire survey was administered to 967 college students in China. Life satisfaction partially mediated the effect of the paternal-maternal parenting styles on the internet addiction among college students. However, this mediating role completely varied by gender, and the dimensions of parental styles also had different effects. For male college students, life satisfaction mediated the two dimensions of parenting styles (the father's emotional warmth, the father's overprotection) and internet addiction; the mother's emotional warmth directly related to the internet addiction. Among females, life satisfaction played a partial mediating role between two dimensions of parenting styles (the father's emotional warmth, the mother's interference and protection) and internet addiction. the father's punitiveness and over-involvement were directly related to female students' internet addiction. The study reveals that the mediating effect of life satisfaction on parenting styles and internet addiction among college students is influenced by gender, and the relationship between different parenting styles and internet addiction also varies. These findings indicate that paying attention to the role of the family, especially the parenting style of fathers, is crucial for preventing internet addiction in the future. Prevention and intervention should be treated differently for male and female students.

Physical activity, problematic gaming behavior, and quality of life prior and during the first 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a longitudinal study among university students.

BACKGROUND: Generally, there is limited information on longitudinal trends and the interrelations between physical activity (PA), problematic gaming behavior (PGB), described as a dysfunctional pattern of videogame activities, and quality of life (QoL) based on data that include measurements from both pre- and postpandemic onset. This is also the case for university students. As society faced unprecedented restrictions during this period, these aspects may have developed unfavorably. OBJECTIVE: To examine PA, PGB, and QoL among Norwegian University students prior to and during the initial stages of the pandemic and assess their temporal interrelations. METHOD: The data are derived from the "Students' Psychological Health Over Time" study (SPOT). Linear mixed models were used to examine the development from January 2020 to November 2020 over three time points for the total sample and across gender. A traditional cross-lagged panel model analysis was used to estimate temporal associations. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, and partner status were included as covariates. FINDINGS: PA and QoL decreased linearly over time (Cohen's d = 0.12 and 0.35, respectively), while only male students reported a small reduction in PGB (Cohen's d = 0.03). PA levels decreased considerably more for male students than female students (Cohen's d = 0.17 and 0.09, respectively). There was a small reciprocal negative temporal association between PA and PGB (standardized ß = -0.04 and -0.05, respectively). All other temporal associations were not statistically significant in the adjusted analysis. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight gender-variant negative developments in PA and QoL and suggest a negative reciprocal interrelation between PA and PGB. The findings point to potential adverse health effects that should be taken into account when restrictive pandemic measures are considered.

I rely on a little help from my friends: the effect of interpersonal and intrapersonal emotion regulation on the relationship between FOMO and problematic internet use.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the role of emotion regulation in relation to the links between fear of missing out (i.e., FOMO) and two components of problematic internet use: problematic social media use and doomscrolling. METHODS: Participants (N = 603, Mage = 30.41, SDage = 7.64; 49.1% male-identifying) completed measures of fear of missing out, intrapersonal and interpersonal emotion regulation, and problematic social media use, and doomscrolling. A parallel mediation model was tested to examine the nature of the associations between fear of missing out, intrapersonal, and interpersonal emotion regulation, in accounting for variance in the outcome measures. RESULTS: Analyses revealed that the effect of fear of missing out on problematic social media use was fully mediated by both intrapersonal and interpersonal emotion regulation. In contrast, the effect on doomscrolling was fully mediated by intrapersonal emotion regulation only. CONCLUSIONS: Findings clarify the role of emotion regulation in explaining the relationship between fear of missing out and two types of problematic internet use, indicating a need to consider individual differences in emotion regulation in an evolving social media landscape.

Effects of childhood trauma on the symptom-level relation between depression, anxiety, stress, and problematic smartphone use: A network analysis.

BACKGROUND: Childhood trauma experience is closely associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and problematic smartphone use (PSU). However, few studies have explored the complex symptom-level relations between these variables among people with and without trauma experiences, leaving a gap in treating and alleviating these mental disorders among individuals with childhood trauma. METHODS: The current study used a convenience sampling method and recruited 2708 participants who completed Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), and Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale (MPATS), dividing them into trauma (n = 1454, Mean age = 19.67) and no-trauma (n = 1254, Mean age = 19.57) groups according to the cut-off scores of CTQ-SF. Symptom network analysis and network comparison test were conducted to construct and compare the network models between trauma and no-trauma groups. RESULTS: The findings indicate that the trauma group and females exhibit greater average levels of DASS-21 and PSU symptoms compared to the no-trauma group and males, respectively. Additionally, the edge between "Stress" and "Anxiety" is the strongest across trauma and no-trauma groups. "Social comfort" is a bridge symptom of the trauma group network and the results of bridge symptoms in the no-trauma group are not stable. LIMITATIONS: This study did not categorize all individuals according to specific types of trauma experiences and it is a cross-sectional design. The prevalences calculated in this study may not be generalizable. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions targeting different bridge symptoms in the trauma and no-trauma network models may help reduce the severity of symptoms.

The effect of social anxiety on teenagers' internet addiction: the mediating role of loneliness and coping styles.

BACKGROUND & AIM: There is a lack of understanding of how social anxiety may affect Internet addiction among adolescents. Based on several theories, the purpose of this study was to investigate the multiple mediating roles of loneliness and coping styles in the association between social anxiety and Internet addiction in Chinese adolescents. METHODS: This study used the Social Anxiety Scale, Internet Addiction Test, Loneliness Scale, and Simple Coping Style Questionnaire to investigate 1188 students in two junior high schools and senior high schools in Henan Province, China. We adopted Pearson's correlation analysis and the PROCESS Macro Model 81 in regression analysis to explore the relationships among social anxiety, loneliness, coping styles, and Internet addiction. RESULTS: We found that social anxiety not only directly affects teenagers' Internet addiction, but also affects teenagers' Internet addiction through loneliness and coping styles. CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize the importance of improving social anxiety to reduce Internet addiction among adolescents. At the same time, it also emphasizes the need to reduce adolescents' loneliness and cultivating positive coping styles. In addition, this study has certain theoretical significance for teenagers' mental health and intervention studies on Internet addiction.

The association between anxiety and internet addiction among left-behind secondary school students: the moderating effect of social support and family types.

BACKGROUND: The left-behind children (LBC), children and adolescents aged 0-18 whose parents have migrated for economic purposes for extended periods exceeding three months, present a unique social concern. These children remain in their place of household registration, often under the guardianship of relatives, while receiving compulsory education. LBC with growing Internet addiction (IA) have made it urgent to take a close look at the mechanisms and effective interventions for them. Anxiety has been proven to be correlated with IA in adolescents; however, the mechanisms of addiction in this population are less well-fully grasped. Based on the current theories and empirical results, the study examined whether and how social support (SS) and family types moderated the associations between anxiety and IA among left-behind secondary students. METHODS: Stratified cluster sampling survey. A questionnaire was administered to 5290 secondary school children (2553 classified as left-behind) to explore the relationships between anxiety, IA, left-behind types, family types, and social support. This cross-sectional study employed a stratified cluster sampling survey of students in the ethnic areas of southeast Chongqing. The study sought to appraise the relationships between anxiety and IA in different types of left-behind children and to assess the potential moderating effect of SS on the relationship among the population and its family types differences. RESULTS: The relationship between anxiety and IA was moderated significantly by social support and family types. Notably, the impact of social support on the moderating effect between IA and anxiety varied among students from both family types. For students from families where both parents had migrated, social support weakened the association between IA and anxiety. Conversely, for students from single-parent families where the parent had migrated, social support seemed to strengthen the relationships between these two issues. CONCLUSIONS: The moderating effects of SS on the relationship between anxiety and IA differs based on family type among various groups of left-behind secondary students. Gaining insights into the IA mechanisms can guide the development of targeted intervention strategies aimed at minimizing IA among diverse groups of left-behind students.

A controversial issue in adolescents: Is the effect of digital games on creative personality traits positive or negative?

AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of digital games on the creativity of adolescents. METHODS: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study using simple random sampling following the STROBE checklist. It was conducted with 384 adolescents between January and June 2022. Data were collected using the Digital Game Addiction Scale for Children and the Creative Personality Traits Scale. RESULTS: The adolescents were at risk for digital game addiction and had moderate creativity levels. The adolescents who had a male sex, had mothers who received primary education, started playing digital games before the age of 6 years, were using the internet for >5 h a day, had no activity other than playing digital games, and preferred action, adventure, and fighting games had higher digital game addiction levels than the other adolescents. In addition, the male adolescents had higher creativity levels than the female adolescents. There was a significant negative relationship between digital game addiction and creative personality traits among the adolescents. Digital game addiction had a negative effect on creativity. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents are at risk for digital game addiction and have moderate creativity levels. Digital game addiction negatively affects the development of creative personality traits. Interventions should be planned to prevent digital game addiction among adolescents, and adolescents should be guided to increase awareness of the effects of digital games on their creativity.

The prevalence and possible risk factors of gaming disorder among adolescents in China.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, moderate gaming behaviors can be a pleasant and relaxing experiences among adolescents. However, excessive gaming behavior may lead to gaming disorder (GD) that disruption of normal daily life. Understanding the possible risk factors of this emerging problem would help to suggest effective at preventing and intervening. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of GD and analyze its possible risk factors that adolescents with GD. METHODS: Data were collected between October 2020 and January 2021. In total, a sample of 7901 students (4080 (52%) boys, 3742 (48%) girls; aged 12-18 years) completed questionnaires regarding the Gaming-Related Behaviors Survey, Gaming Disorder Symptom Questionnaire-21 (GDSQ-21); Behavioral Inhibition System and Behavioral Activation System Scale (BIS/BAS Scale); Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ); Short-form Egna Minnenav Barndoms Uppfostran for Chinese (s-EMBU-C); and Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC). RESULTS: The prevalence of GD was 2.27% in this adolescent sample. The GD gamers were a little bit older (i.e., a higher proportion of senior grades), more boys, with more gaming hours per week in the last 12 months, with more reward responsiveness, maternal rejecting and occurrence of negative life events (e.g., interpersonal relationships, being punished and bereavement factors). CONCLUSION: These possible risk factors may influence the onset of GD. Future research in clinical, public health, education and other fields should focus on these aspects for provide target prevention and early intervention strategies.