Ouderlijk Toezicht op Gamen: De Invloed van Regels en Communicatie op Gameverslaving bij Adolescenten

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between parental rules regarding internet use and gaming and game addiction among young people was investigated, as well as the influence of the quality of parent-child communication on this relationship. Results showed a weak, but significant, positive relationship between the enforcement of rules and symptoms of gaming addiction, suggesting that strict rule-setting alone may be insufficient in effectively combating gaming addiction. The quality of communication between parents and young people demonstrated a stronger link to gaming addiction, as compared to the influence of rules, indicating that fostering effective communication could be a potentially more effective strategy. The hypothesis that the quality of communication would serve as a moderator in the relationship between rules and gaming addiction was not confirmed. This study reveals that the impact of parental rules and communication on gaming addiction is complex and may be influenced by other factors, such as parental involvement or child self-regulation (Ryzin et al., 2009). Limitations of this study include the use of self-developed measurement instruments and the cross-sectional nature of the research. Future research could focus on a more extensive set of factors, the use of longitudinal designs, and multi-informant approaches. Despite these limitations, the study underscores the importance of parent-child communication in the context of internet use and gaming addiction among young people and suggests the necessity of a broader approach in addressing problematic gaming behavior. This implies that interventions should not only focus on individual gamers, but also on the wider social context in which they exist.