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Exploring the association between self-regulation and pathological game use
Author
Neo, Eng Chuan
Supervisor
Liau, Albert
Abstract
This study explored the relationship between three facets of self-regulation and Pathological Game Use. The facets of self-regulation investigated were Academic self-regulation, Social self-regulation and Video Game self-regulation. 301 students (average age 12 years old) participated in this study. The Video Game self-regulation was a newly constructed scale with good reliability (Cronbach Alpha is .92). The study found that those who are better able to self-regulate are less likely to become pathological game users. Specifically, Social self-regulation and Video Game self-regulation were correlated negatively to Pathological Game Use, but Academic self-regulation indicated a possible negative trend when associated with pathological gaming. The study also found that certain aspects of personal strengths and gaming motivations were related to pathological game use. In a multiple regression analyses, the main predictors of pathological game use were hours of play, three aspects of personal strengths - empathy, social competence and self-control, and Video Game self-regulation. This study suggests that equipping students with skills and know-how in self-regulation can be a useful preventive measure against pathological game use. The domain-specific Video Game self-regulation scale can be further refined and deployed as a screening tool to identify potential pathological users.
Date Issued
2008
Call Number
BF723.S25 Neo
Date Submitted
2008