School assets and bullying in Chinese youth: A multiple mediation model of intentional self-regulation and internet gaming disorder

The impact of emotional neglect on internet addiction among left-behind adolescents in rural China: A moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

Urbanization has led to a significant increase in left-behind adolescents in rural China, those aged 11 to 18 who remain in rural areas due to one or both parents migrating to cities for work for more than six months. Without parental support and guidance, those adolescents often face emotional neglect and develop internet addiction, which is associated with low parent-child closeness and high experiential avoidance. However, intentional self-regulation may serve as a protective factor against these adverse effects.

OBJECTIVE

Grounded in ecological systems theory, the present study proposes a moderated mediation model to examine the mechanisms by which emotional neglect experienced by left-behind adolescents contributes to the development of internet addiction.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Data was collected from Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou Province, China, which has many ethnic minorities and faces economic challenges.

METHODS

A total of 407 left-behind adolescents between 13 and 16 years of age completed the anonymous self-report paper questionnaire. PROCESS for SPSS was adopted to test hypotheses and answer the research questions.

RESULTS

The results reveal a significant and positive correlation between emotional neglect and internet addiction. Parent-child closeness and experiential avoidance partially mediate this relationship. Additionally, intentional self-regulation functions as a buffering moderator. Higher levels of intentional self-regulation correspond to a reduced positive impact of emotional neglect and experiential avoidance on internet addiction while increasing the negative impact of parent-child closeness on internet addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

This study enhances the understanding of internet addiction in left-behind adolescents in rural China and extends the application of ecological systems theory within the Chinese family context. Practical implications for family, school, and society are discussed.

The mediating role of intentional self-regulation in the constructive and pathological compensation processes of problematic social networking use

Perceived social isolation is a key predictor of college students' problematic social networking site use (PSNSU). According to the Fear-Driven/Compensation-Seeking Hypothesis, reducing the fear of social isolation and compensating for social deficits serve as negative reinforcement motivations for SNS use, which may potentially result in PSNSU. This study investigated the association between perceived social isolation and PSNSU through the mediating roles of intentional self-regulation and parasocial relationships from a compensatory perspective. Additionally, gender differences in the mediating model were examined. Findings from an online survey of 893 college students in China revealed a positive relationship between perceived social isolation and PSNSU. The serial mediation model showed that intentional self-regulation and parasocial relationships both had positive individual mediating effects, as well as a negative serial mediating effect. Moreover, these mediating effects were only significant among women. The findings suggest that in the association between perceived social isolation and PSNSU, the mediating role of intentional self-regulation forms a constructive compensatory process, while its serial mediating role through parasocial relationships forms a pathological compensatory process. Interventions for PSNSU should take the mediating role of intentional self-regulation in constructive compensation process and the gender difference into consideration.

Severity of inattention symptoms, experiences of being bullied, and school anxiety as mediators in the association between excessive short-form video viewing and school refusal behaviors in adolescents

Background

Recent years have seen an increase in school refusal behavior among adolescents, potentially due to factors like excessive short-form video viewing, bullying, and school anxiety. Limited research has investigated how these factors contribute to school refusal behavior. This study used random forest regression, path analysis, and network analysis to identify key variables and pathways leading to school refusal behavior.

Methods

In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, 2,056 (996 male, 1,060 female, mean age: 14.79 ± 1.24 years) middle and senior high school students were asked to complete the School Refusal Behavior Assessment questionnaire to assess school refusal behavior features, the Excessive Short-Form Video Viewing Scale as well as self-reported viewing times during leisure days to assess excessive short-form video viewing, the SNAP-IV Rating Scale to assess the severity of inattention symptoms, and the self-administered questionnaires to assess experiences of being bullied and school anxiety.

Results

The prevalence of school refusal behavior in the surveyed adolescents was found to be 31.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 29.8-33.9%]. In terms of significance, the severity of inattention symptoms exhibited the greatest predictive power, while excessive short-form video viewing accounted for the most variance. Path analysis revealed that excessive short-form video viewing not only directly affects school refusal behavior features but also does so indirectly through severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. Key bridge factors in this pathway include intense fear and anxiety associated with school attendance, manifesting as somatic symptoms and avoidance behaviors.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that not only does excessive short-form video viewing directly influence school refusal behavior features in adolescents, but it also indirectly impacts these features through mechanisms involving severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. The bridge factors highlight potential targets for interventions among the SRB features and predictors.

Longitudinal Relationships Between School Climate, Academic Achievement, and Gaming Disorder Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents

Despite growing concerns regarding the development of gaming disorder symptoms among adolescents, the longitudinal relationship between school factors and gaming disorder symptoms remains far from being fully understood. This two-year longitudinal study examined the relationship between school climate perceptions, academic achievement, and gaming disorder symptoms among three distinct demographic cohorts: preadolescents (n = 1513; 46.9% girls, Mage = 10.64 years, SD = 0.56), early adolescents (n = 1771; 48.3% girls, Mage = 13.54 years, SD = 0.70), and late adolescents (n = 2385; 50.1% girls, Mage = 16.41 years, SD = 0.59). A four-wave study was conducted (six months apart) using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) to separate the within-person (state level) from the between-person (trait level) effects. The results obtained from the RI-CLPMs indicated that fluctuations in school climate perceptions negatively predicted subsequent changes in gaming disorder symptoms among preadolescents at the within-person level, but not among early and late adolescents. Fluctuations relating to gaming disorder symptoms also negatively predicted subsequent changes regarding academic achievement in late adolescents, but not in preadolescents and early adolescents. The effect of school-related factors on gaming disorder symptoms varies across different developmental stages. While preadolescents may represent a particularly susceptible subgroup for gaming disorder in terms of being predicted by their school environment, late adolescents appear to be more vulnerable to predictors of gaming disorder symptoms. The current study also discusses the implications of school-wide programs aimed at improving school climate and preventing the development of gaming disorder symptoms during key developmental periods.

Longitudinal relationships between school assets, traditional bullying, and internet gaming disorder: the role of self-control and intentional self-regulation among Chinese adolescents

Introduction

Although developmental assets have been proven to be enabling factors for both adolescent traditional bullying and internet gaming disorder (IGD), there is a lack of empirical evidence that has investigated the direct relationship between school assets and both of these problematic behaviors concurrently. Based on the positive youth development (PYD) perspective, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between school assets, intentional self-regulation (ISR), self-control, traditional bullying, and IGD among Chinese adolescents.

Methods

A total of 742 middle school students (M_age = 13.88 years, SD = 1.99 years) were followed up to measure school assets, ISR, self-control, traditional bullying, and IGD in two waves that were separated by 5 months.

Results

Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that T1 school assets negatively predicted T2 traditional bullying and T2 IGD. T1 self-control significantly mediated the relationships between T1 school assets and T2 traditional bullying, as well as between T1 school assets and T2 IGD. Additionally, T1 ISR strengthened the positive effect of T1 school assets on T1 self-control and further moderated the two mediating paths.

Discussion

These findings show that plentiful school assets support the development of self-control and are more successful in reducing traditional bullying and IGD, particularly among students with higher ISR. As a result, schools should take measures to provide superior-quality assets for the positive development of youth, which will help to prevent and relieve traditional bullying and IGD in the school context.

The relationship between parental neglect and cyberbullying perpetration among Chinese adolescent: The sequential role of cyberbullying victimization and internet gaming disorder

Cyberbullying perpetration and victimization have been common public health issues that have impaired the development of adolescent physical and mental health. Abundant research has proven associations between negative parental factors and cyberbullying perpetration. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the impact of parental neglect on cyberbullying and its internal mechanisms. Based on the parental acceptance-rejection theory (PARTheory) and the general aggression model (GAM), the present study constructs a sequential mediation model in which parental neglect is related to adolescent cyberbullying perpetration through cyberbullying victimization and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Using random cluster sampling, a total of 699 middle school students (M age = 14.18 years, SD = 1.22, and 324 boys) were recruited from five schools in three provinces on mainland China. The participants completed questionnaires regarding parental neglect, cyberbullying perpetration, cyberbullying victimization, and IGD. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that parental neglect was positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration. The mediating effects of cyberbullying victimization and IGD in this relationship are significant both individually and jointly. The current findings have important implications for enlightening families and schools to pay particular attention to adolescents' experiences of parental neglect and provide them with timely feedback and assistance. This will contribute to the prevention and reduction of adolescent involvement in cyberbullying perpetration.

Cyberbullying and internet gaming disorder in Chinese youth: The role of positive youth development attributes

Introduction

As digital natives, young people enjoy the convenience and benefits of the internet but also suffer from unique developmental problems of this age, such as cyberbullying and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Research suggests that these online problem behaviors enjoy high prevalence and various negative impacts. To prevent or intervene, this study attempts to explore the association between cyberbullying and IGD and the potential protectors from the positive youth development (PYD) perspective.

Methods

Through the convenience sampling method, a sample of 463 Chinese adolescents was recruited and participated in the survey. They completed a questionnaire regarding PYD attributes, cyberbullying, IGD, and demographic information.

Results

After controlling adolescents' sex and age, results of regression analyses indicated that cyberbullying was positively associated with IGD; PYD attributes had negative cumulative effects on cyberbullying and IGD; and cyberbullying and IGD were negatively related to PYD attributes. Moreover, the mediating effect of PYD attributes was significant in the relationship between cyberbullying and IGD.

Discussion

Specifically, it is very possible for adolescents who have experienced one online problem behavior to suffer from another one. Fortunately, positive personal attributes could effectively buffer this cascading effect. These findings may provide theoretical and practical guidance for practitioners that improving PYD attributes may be a promising approach to prevent or reduce adolescent cyberbullying and IGD.