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. 2020 Apr 15;20(1):484.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-08615-7.

A partial mediation effect of father-child attachment and self-esteem between parental marital conflict and subsequent features of internet gaming disorder in children: a 12-month follow-up study

Hyunsuk Jeong  1 , Hyeon Woo Yim  2 , Seung-Yup Lee  3 , Hae Kook Lee  3 , Marc N Potenza  4   5   6 , Sun-Jin Jo  1 , Hye Jung Son  1
Affiliations

A partial mediation effect of father-child attachment and self-esteem between parental marital conflict and subsequent features of internet gaming disorder in children: a 12-month follow-up study

Hyunsuk Jeong et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: This study evaluated whether parent-child attachment and self-esteem may mediate the relationship between parental marital conflict and increases in features of internet gaming disorder (IGD) in children at 1 year.

Methods: The baseline and one-year follow-up data for 268 pre-teens aged between 9 and 10 from the Internet User Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of Gaming Disorder in Early Adolescence (iCURE) study were collected. The students were children at low risk for IGD in the initial self-reported assessment, anyone living with both parents, current game user at baseline, and those who completed a 12-month follow-up assessment. The Internet Game Use-Elicited Symptom Screen (IGUESS) was used to identify increases in IGD features at 12 months. To examine a potential mediation effect, structural equation modeling was performed.

Results: The direct effect was statistically significant, and parental marital conflict at baseline significantly predicted the increases in IGD features in children at the 12-month follow-up after adjusting for gender, sex, socioeconomic status, and baseline IGUESS score (ß = 0.206, P = 0.003). The indirect effect showed that attachment to fathers through self-esteem was a significant mediating effect (ß = 0.078, P = 0.045). Parental marital conflicts were associated with increases in IGD features in children through poor father-child attachment, and in turn, the lower levels of self-esteem in the children.

Conclusions: Parents, especially fathers, should make an effort to bond with their children to reduce the risk of their children's developing the IGD features.

Keywords: Attachment; Children; Internet gaming disorder; Mediation; Self-esteem.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no competing interests except for Dr. Potenza. Dr. Potenza reports the following disclosures. Dr. Potenza has consulted for and advised RiverMend Health, Lakelight Therapeutics/Opiant and Jazz Pharmaceuticals; has received research support from the Mohegan Sun Casino and the National Center for Responsible Gaming; has participated in surveys, mailings or telephone consultations related to drug addiction, impulse control disorders or other health topics; and has consulted for law offices and gambling entities on issues related to impulse control or addictive disorders.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Hypothetical model
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The final model. The partial mediating influence of father-child attachment and off-spring’s self-esteem on the relationships between parent marital conflict and increases in IGD features. All pathways are standardized coefficients. *P < .05. Green lines indicate the direct effect of parental conflict on increases in IGD features (ß =0.206, P = 0.003). Blue lines indicate the indirect path for the role of father in self-esteem (ß =0.078; − 0.62 × 0.60 × 0.21, P = 0.045). Red dotted lines indicate the indirect path for the role of mother in self-esteem (ß =0.027; − 0.47 × 0.27 × 0.21, P = 0.081).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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