# Prevalence and factors of behavioral intention of gaming time reduction among high-risk adolescents in China: an application of the Conservation of Resource Theory

## TL;DR

This study explores how Chinese adolescents with internet gaming disorder perceive reducing gaming time and what factors influence their intention to do so.

## Contribution

The study applies Conservation of Resource Theory to understand behavioral intentions for gaming time reduction among adolescents with self-perceived IGD.

## Key findings

- 67.4% of adolescents with self-perceived IGD had behavioral intention to reduce gaming time.
- Personal and interpersonal resource losses and perceived stress were negatively associated with gaming time reduction intention.
- Mediation via perceived stress partially explained the link between personal resource losses and gaming time reduction intention.

## Abstract

Gaming time reduction has been effective in reducing internet gaming disorder (IGD). This study investigated the prevalence of behavioral intention of gaming time reduction (BI-GTR) among middle school students who self-perceived having IGD. Based on the Conservation of Resource (COR) theory, the mediations between personal/interpersonal resource losses due to gaming time reduction and BI-GTR via perceived stress due to gaming time reduction were investigated.

A cross-sectional, anonymous survey was conducted among Chinese adolescent internet gamers with self-perception of IGD in Chengdu, China, from December 2019 to January 2020 (n = 485). Self-perception of IGD was assessed by a screening question “Do you perceive yourself having IGD? (yes/no response options)”, while probable IGD was assessed by the 9-item DSM-5 Checklist.

Among all participants with self-perception of IGD, the prevalence of BI-GTR was 67.4%; it was significantly lower in the probable IGD group than the non-probable IGD group (56.2% versus 73.4%, OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.27, 2.08). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that, with the adjustment of background factors, personal resource losses (ORa = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.95), interpersonal resource losses (ORa = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.95), and perceived stress (ORa = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.72) were significantly and negatively associated with BI-GTR. Path analysis, adjusting for background factors as well, revealed that the negative association between personal resource losses and BI-GTR was significantly and partially mediated via perceived stress (β = − 0.07; p = 0.023; mediation effect size = 15.6%); The similar indirect effects of perceived stress between interpersonal resource losses and BI-RGT were, however, statistically non-significant (β = − 0.01; p = 0.874). Multigroup path analysis further showed that the mediation mechanisms were invariant between the probable IGD and non-probable IGD groups.

The novel findings about the prevalence of BI-GTR, its associated factors, and mediations among Chinese adolescents with self-perception of IGD have implications for future research/interventions. It has extended the application of COR theory to studying health-seeking behaviors. Future confirmation and interventional studies are required.

Not applicable.