The relationship between self-control and internet gaming disorder and problematic social networking site use: the mediation effects of internet use motives

Ruoyu Zhou; Nobuaki Morita; Chunmu Zhu; Yasukazu Ogai; Tamaki Saito; Wenjie Yang; Mitsue Ogawa; Hong Zhang

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1369973

The relationship between self-control and internet gaming disorder and problematic social networking site use: the mediation effects of internet use motives

Front Psychiatry. 2024 Sep 26:15:1369973. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1369973. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Ruoyu Zhou¹, Nobuaki Morita², Chunmu Zhu³, Yasukazu Ogai², Tamaki Saito², Wenjie Yang⁴, Mitsue Ogawa¹, Hong Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Doctoral Program in Human Care Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
² Department of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Tsukuba, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan.
³ International Nursing, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, Gunma, Japan.
⁴ The Mental Health Center, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
⁵ Psychological Health Counseling Center, Yunnan Police University, Kunming, China.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the relationships between problematic social networking site use (PSNSU), Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), internet use motives, and self-control among university students in China and Japan. Specifically, it investigated the indirect effects of self-control on IGD and PSNSU through various internet use motives, considering gender differences.

Methods: A sample of 697 university students (465 females; 397 Chinese) was surveyed. Path analysis was conducted separately for male and female users to examine the relationships between self-control, internet use motives, IGD, and PSNSU.

Results: The results indicated that self-control had significant indirect effects on IGD through enhancement (β = 0.096**, p = 0.005), social (β = -0.090**, p = 0.007), and conformity (β = -0.117**, p = 0.001) motives, but these effects were observed only in the male group. Self-control also exhibited indirect effects on PSNSU through enhancement, social, coping, and conformity motives, with a greater impact observed on PSNSU than on IGD. Gender differences in mediating effects were identified, with males and females showing distinct patterns.

Discussion: The findings highlight the importance of understanding gender differences and motivational factors in problematic internet use. These insights contribute to a better understanding of how internet use motives influence IGD and PSNSU in different contexts.

Keywords: gender differences; internet gaming disorder; internet use motives; problematic social networking site use; self-control.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by JST SPRING, Grant Number JPMJSP2124.