TY  - EJOU
AU  - Gao, Qiufeng 
AU  - Feng, Yushu 
AU  - Jiang, Changcheng 
AU  - Zhang, Yanshan 
AU  - Gao, Ruixiang 

TI  - The Influence of Self-Construal on Problematic Online Game Use among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediation of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction
T2  - International Journal of Mental Health Promotion

PY  - 2025
VL  - 27
IS  - 9
SN  - 2049-8543

AB  -  <b>Background:</b> Fundamental internal factors like self-construal and its influence on problematic online game use (POGU) remain underexplored. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of independent and interdependent self-construal on POGU, with the mediation of basic psychological needs satisfaction. <b>Methods:</b> The study surveyed 418 Chinese junior high school students (50.24% male; Mean<sub>age</sub> = 12.68, SD = 0.65), assessing their levels of self-construal, basic psychological needs satisfaction, and POGU. A parallel mediation model was tested. <b>Results:</b> The findings showed that autonomy and competence needs satisfaction fully mediated the negative impact of independent self-construal on POGU (B = −0.052, <i>p</i> < 0.05; B = −0.094, <i>p</i> < 0.01, respectively), while interdependent self-construal and relatedness needs satisfaction did not have a significant effect on POGU (B = 0.005, <i>p</i> = 0.758). Additionally, while independent self-construal positively correlated with the satisfaction of all three psychological needs, interdependent self-construal only positively associated with relatedness need satisfaction (B = 0.152, <i>p</i> < 0.001). <b>Conclusions:</b> The study demonstrates that independent self-construal serves as a protective factor against POGU, mediated by autonomy and competence needs satisfaction, while the effects of interdependent self-construal are more complex. These insights highlight the need for tailored interventions that promote adaptive self-construal and psychological needs satisfaction among Chinese adolescents to prevent POGU.
KW  - Self-construal; problematic online game use; basic psychological needs satisfaction; mediation model; Chinese adolescents

DO  - 10.32604/ijmhp.2025.067138