TY - JOUR
T1 - The serial mediation effects of body image-coping strategies and avatar-identification in the relationship between self-concept clarity and gaming disorder
T2 - A pilot study
AU - Servidio, Rocco
AU - Griffiths, Mark D
AU - Boca, Stefano
AU - Demetrovics, Zsolt
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Gaming disorder (GD) has been recognized as a mental health problem, resulting in adverse and psychosocial consequences. Although previous evidence suggests poorer self-concept clarity (SCC) and avatar identification are associated with GD, less is known about the mediating role of body-image coping strategies (appearance-fixing and avoidance, a form of escapism) in this relationship. A total of 214 Italian online gamers (64 % males) were anonymously recruited online by posting the survey link on social media gaming forums and other online sites. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 59 years (M = 24.07 years, SD = 5.19). The results of the correlational analysis showed that SCC was negatively related to GD, whereas body coping strategies and avatar-identification were positively associated with GD. Avoidance fully mediated the association between SCC and GD. Moreover, appearance-fixing and avatar-identification were full serial mediators between SCC and GD. Overall, the results of the present study suggest potential pathways for understanding the underlying determinants of GD, which can help in the design of intervention programs to help reduce the risk of GD among players.
AB - Gaming disorder (GD) has been recognized as a mental health problem, resulting in adverse and psychosocial consequences. Although previous evidence suggests poorer self-concept clarity (SCC) and avatar identification are associated with GD, less is known about the mediating role of body-image coping strategies (appearance-fixing and avoidance, a form of escapism) in this relationship. A total of 214 Italian online gamers (64 % males) were anonymously recruited online by posting the survey link on social media gaming forums and other online sites. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 59 years (M = 24.07 years, SD = 5.19). The results of the correlational analysis showed that SCC was negatively related to GD, whereas body coping strategies and avatar-identification were positively associated with GD. Avoidance fully mediated the association between SCC and GD. Moreover, appearance-fixing and avatar-identification were full serial mediators between SCC and GD. Overall, the results of the present study suggest potential pathways for understanding the underlying determinants of GD, which can help in the design of intervention programs to help reduce the risk of GD among players.
KW - Avatar Identification
KW - Body Image-Coping
KW - Gaming Disorder
KW - Self-Concept Clarity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85149765371&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100482
DO - 10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100482
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85149765371
SN - 2352-8532
VL - 17
JO - Addictive Behaviors Reports
JF - Addictive Behaviors Reports
M1 - 100482
ER -