Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence and Online Gaming Addiction In Adolescence: the Indirect Effects of Two Facets of Perceived Stress

LiveMore ScreenLess’ Summary

The current study extends previous research by examining the associations between four dimensions of emotional intelligence (i.e., self-management of emotions, use of emotions, empathy, and social skills); two aspects of stress (i.e., perceived self-efficacy and perceived helplessness); and online gaming addiction in male adolescents. Only male adolescents were recruited since they spend more time playing online games, have a much higher prevalence of online gaming addiction, and exhibit different mechanisms for online gaming addiction.

The two specific goals:  to determine which dimensions of emotional intelligence have a significant and unique role with gaming addiction; to examine whether perceived self-efficacy and perceived helplessness would have a connection between emotional intelligence and online gaming addiction.

Self-report questionnaires were used  to calculate perceived helplessness and perceived self-efficacy; another was used to determine emotional intelligence. Online gaming addiction was measured, using questions on compulsive use, withdrawal, tolerance, interpersonal, health-related, and time management problems.

It was found that different dimensions of emotional intelligence played different roles in online gaming addiction, and perceived helplessness was found to be a risk factor. For example, individuals who are unable to cope with stressful situations or who have high levels of negative affectivity are more likely to have game addiction.  

Those who can regulate their own emotions, have adequate social skills and have high levels of emotional understanding, consider themselves able to process the stress, and show higher perceived self-efficacy and subsequently less risk of gaming addiction.

Che Dexin, Hu Jianping, Zhen Shuangju, Yu Chengfu, Li Bin, Chang Xi, Zhang Wei. Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence and Online Gaming Addiction in Adolescence: The Indirect Effects of Two Facets of Perceived Stress.  Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 8, Year 2017.