Relationship between parental psychological control and problematic gaming among Chinese adolescents: A chain mediation model

Jingli Wu^*
Mental Health Education Center, Xinxiang Vocational and Technical College, Xinxiang, China
* Corresponding Author: Jingli Wu. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.074079

Received 01 October 2025; Accepted 03 March 2026; Published online 03 April 2026

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Abstract

This study explored the relationship between parental psychological control (PPC) and adolescents’ problematic gaming (PG) focusing on the mediating roles of self-control (SC) and deviant peer affiliation (DPA). A total of 2028 adolescents from high schools completed self-report measures on PPC, SC, DPA, and PG. The results revealed that PPC positively predicted PG. SC mediated the relationship between PPC and PG, and also revealed that DPA also played a mediating role in this association. Additionally, SC and DPA operated in a chain mediation, where PPC reduced SC, which in turn increased the likelihood of DPA, ultimately contributing to PG. The findings provide theoretical insights by integrating Ecological Systems Theory and Choice Theory, and practical implications for interventions focusing on enhancing SC and reducing DPA to mitigate adolescents’ PG.