Symptoms of internet gaming disorder and parenting styles in Romanian adolescents

Abstract

Online video gaming has been endorsed as a potential addictive behavior with negative psychological and functional consequences and has been extensively studied among adolescents and young individuals. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the prevalence of symptoms of the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) in a sample of 278 Romanian early adolescents (aged 10 to 14, 52.5% females) and their parents, and to examine the role of parental styles of parents in predicting the symptoms of IGD in their children. Statistical analyses showed that 31 (22%) adolescents had clinically relevant symptoms of IGD. A logistic regression model revealed that a dominant permissive style of parents was substantially related to symptoms of IGD in their children. Findings highlight a strong correlation between parenting styles and symptoms of IGD, emphasizing the importance of parental involvement in both the prevention and development of IGD in early adolescence.