Structural model for predicting online gaming addiction based on childhood trauma and motivational self-talk with mediating Role of Social Adjustment

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSc in Career Counseling, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran

2 MSc in School Counseling, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology , Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Hakim Sabzevari, Sabzevar, Iran.

10.48308/apsy.2026.241632.1910

Abstract

Aim: The present study aimed to examine the structural relationship model for predicting online gaming addiction based on childhood trauma and motivational self-talk, with social adjustment serving as a mediating variable.
Method: This study was conducted using a correlational design based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all second-grade high school students in Sabzevar city in 2024. From this population, 200 students were selected through multistage cluster random sampling and completed the Online Game Addiction Questionnaire (OGAQ; Wang et al., 2002), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire–Short Form (CTQ-SF; Bernstein et al., 1998), the Motivational Self-Talk Questionnaire (MSTQ; Wolters et al., 2000), and the Social Adjustment Questionnaire (SAQ; Sohrabi et al., 2011). Data were analyzed using SPSS.26 and Smart PLS.3.
Findings: The results showed that childhood trauma has a direct and significant positive effect on online game addiction (p<0/001; β=0/571), while motivational self-talk (p<0/001; β=–0/64) and social adjustment (p<0/.01; β=–0/584) have direct and significant negative effects on online game addiction. Also, the results of path analysis indicated that motivational self-talk (p<0.05; β=–0/26) and childhood trauma (p<0/05; β=–0/24) have indirect significant effects on online game addiction through social adjustment. The model fit indices also confirmed the appropriate fit of the proposed model.
Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that, to reduce online gaming addiction, future preventive and therapeutic interventions should take childhood trauma, motivational self-talk, and social adjustment into account.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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