title: Examining the influence of actual-ideal self-discrepancies, depression, and escapism, on pathological gaming among massively multiplayer online adolescent gamers.
abstract: This study examined whether actual-ideal self-discrepancy (AISD) is related to pathological gaming through escapism as a means of reducing depression for adolescent massively multiplayer online gamers. A Discrepancy-reduction Motivation model of pathological video gaming was tested. A survey was conducted on 161 adolescent gamers from secondary schools. Two mediation effects were tested using path analysis: (a) depression would mediate the relationship between AISDs and escapism, and (b) escapism would mediate the relationship between depression and pathological gaming. Results support the hypotheses stated above. The indirect effects of both AISD and depression were significant on pathological gaming. AISD and escapism also had direct effects on pathological gaming. The present study suggests that pathological behaviors may be over-regulated coping strategies of approaching the ideal self and avoiding the actual self.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. dongdong.li@nie.edu.sg
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liau
authors.forename: Angeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khoo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*