The Relationship between Game Addiction and Aggression among Adolescents with Mediating Role of Narcissism and Self-Control

Yifei Pan; Saeid Motevalli; Lifang Yu

doi:10.18502/ijps.v19i3.15804

Yifei Pan Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Saeid Motevalli Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Lifang Yu Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v19i3.15804

Keywords: Adolescence; Aggression; Narcissism; Self-Control; Video Game Addiction

Abstract

Objective: With the increase of game addiction, the problem of aggression as one of the most serious issues confronting today’s society is affecting the mental health of the young generation. While available research has clarified the relationship between game addiction and aggression, this research contributes to future literature through examining the mediating role of narcissism and self-control in this relationship.

Method: This study is a quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational research conducted in 2023 on Malaysian adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Volunteer adolescents completed self-report questionnaires including the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Gaming Addiction Scale, Childhood Narcissism Scale, and Brief Self-Control Scale. All questionnaires were prepared through a Sojump link posted on social media platforms. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and path analysis were used for statistical analysis.

Results: N = 595 adolescents were participated in this survey. According to correlation analysis, there were significant positive correlations between game addiction and aggression (r = 0.777, P < 0.001), game addiction and narcissism (r = 0.785, P < 0.001) as well as a significant negative correlation between game addiction and self-control (r = -0.668, P < 0.001). Besides, narcissism and self-control could significantly partially mediate the relationship between game addiction and aggression. The mediation model discovered a significant path from game addiction to narcissism (β = 0.785, CI = [0.7692, 1.0293], P < 0.001) and from narcissism to aggression (β = 0.442, CI [0.7731, 1.7244], P < 0.001). The total effect of game addiction on aggression was found to be statistically significant (β = 0.777, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The findings of this research reveal a captivating profile, indicating that specific psychological attributes such as aggression, self-control, and narcissistic tendencies might make certain individuals more susceptible to developing an addiction to online games.