Prevalence, Sex Differences, and Predictors of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Impoverished Rural Adolescents: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Cohort Study
IGD prevalence was lower in rural than in urban populations and higher in males than in females. Impulsivity, gaming time, and guardian companionship showed sex differences: females relied more on companionship, whereas males were more vulnerable to poor self-regulation. Interventions should address these differences, strengthening family support and psychological adjustment. This study provides novel insights into sex-specific pathways of IGD in rural settings and offers empirical evidence for developing targeted prevention strategies, highlighting its practical significance for public health.
Authors
- Guangxian Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4473-5127)
- Xicheng Deng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2935-5724)
- Jinwen Luo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1734-7342)
- Erjia Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0971-6393)
- Chenhan Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9738-3997)
- Yifan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8165-6591)
- Shuhong Lin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7865-9153)
- Qiuping Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6899-9736)
- Yongyan Shi
Institutions
- Central South University (CN)
- Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Hunan Children's Hospital (CN)
- Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JMIR Serious Games
- Published
- 2025-10-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2196/83522
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.40