Gaming addiction among Chinese primary school children : the roles of delay discounting, academic stress and depression

Abstract

The current cross-sectional study aimed at investigating the roles of academic stress, depression and delay discounting for gaming addiction in Chinese primary school children, as well as its possible underlying psychological mechanisms. Perceived academic inefficacy and parent demand as two main components of academic stress were considered. In a sample of 333 5th and 6th grades Chinese primary school children in Hong Kong, we found that academic stress, depression and delay discounting positively predicted gaming addiction in boys, while only depression predicted gaming addiction in girls. Mediating role of depression, but not delay discounting, was found on the relationship of academic stress (as well as its components) and gaming addiction. The result suggested depression might act as an underlying psychological process through which academic stress influences Chinese primary school to excessive gaming. Implications in preventing gaming addiction, limitations and future direction were discussed.