Violence exposure in daily life and adolescent internet gaming disorder in the Chinese context: peer victimization and negative emotion as mediators in a three-wave study

Internet gaming disorder (IGD), a growing concern among adolescents globally, remains insufficiently understood regarding the role of violence exposure, particularly in China. This study examined the prospective associations among violence exposure, peer victimization, negative emotion, and IGD among Chinese adolescents. A total of 386 junior high school students (47.9% boys; Mage = 12.23, SD = 0.45) from Hubei Province completed three surveys at six-month intervals. Participants reported on exposure to violence, peer victimization, negative emotion, and IGD. Structural equation modeling showed that violence exposure at baseline (T1) was prospectively associated with IGD one year later (T3). In addition, violence exposure was indirectly associated with later IGD through sequential links involving peer victimization and negative emotion at T2. The present findings provide longitudinal evidence that violence exposure may be associated with adolescent IGD through peer victimization and negative emotion. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the environmental, interpersonal, and emotional processes associated with adolescent IGD and may offer directions for future prevention research.