Does parents' perceived style of setting limits to gaming matter? The interplay between profiles of parental mediation and BIS/BAS sensitivity in problematic gaming and online gambling

Bibliographic Data

ID21444444
AuthorsLowie Bradt (0000-0002-3076-5632, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology Ghent University Ghent Belgium, corresponding author), Eva Grosemans (0000-0001-7035-8313, Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium), Rozane De Cock (0000-0001-6933-0700, Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium), Bruno Dupont (0000-0001-9383-0190, Institute for Media Studies, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium), Maarten Vansteenkiste (0000-0001-6983-3607, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology Ghent University Ghent Belgium), B Soenens (0000-0003-1581-3656, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology Ghent University Ghent Belgium)
Year2024
Volume96
Issue3
Pages580-597
Publication date2024-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Adolescence (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-1971 • E-ISSN: 1095-9254
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jad.12271
PMID37968846
OpenAlexW4388733594
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited71

INTRODUCTION: Parents try to prevent possible negative outcomes associated with gaming by setting rules on their adolescent's gaming behavior (i.e., restrictive mediation). Parents can use either more autonomy-supportive or more controlling styles to communicate those rules. Using a person-centered approach, this study aims to, first, identify profiles of parents' perceived degree of restrictive mediation in gaming and styles of communicating these rules (i.e., autonomy-supportive and controlling); second, to examine how adolescents in different profiles differ in terms of maladaptive gaming outcomes (i.e., problematic gaming, simulated, and online gambling); third, to investigate the moderating role of gaming frequency and adolescents' personality (i.e., behavioral inhibition system [BIS] sensitivity and behavioral activation system [BAS] sensitivity) in the associations between the parental profiles and the outcomes. METHODS: The study used quantitative, cross-sectional survey data from Belgian adolescents (N = 1651, mean age = 14.00 years, 51.2% boys), collected between November 2021 and February 2022 in schools. RESULTS: Cluster analysis yielded four profiles of perceived restrictive mediation: an exclusively controlling one, an autonomy-supportive one, one where parents used a perceived mix of both communication styles, and one where there was an overall perceived lack of restrictive mediation. Adolescents in the controlling profile displayed the most maladaptive outcomes. Some of the associations between the parental profiles and the outcomes were stronger for more frequent gamers and for adolescents scoring higher on both BIS and BAS sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Associations between the parental profiles and gaming outcomes were theoretically meaningful, yet small in terms of effect size.

Autonomy · Developmental psychology · Mediation · Moderated mediation · Parenting styles · Personality · Style (visual arts) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Gambling Behavior and Treatments · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology