Parental Behaviors and Video Game Addiction in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Vol.:(0123456789) International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-025-01473-7 REVIEW Parental Behaviors andVideo Game Addiction inAdolescents: ASystematic Review CarmenRosales‑Navarro1 · InmaculadaTorresPérez1 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Despite the popularity and benefits of video games, concerns have arisen in different areas, especially in the addictive aspect. Previous literature highlights family behaviors as rel‑ evant factors. The objective of this review was toupdate the relationship between parental behaviors and video game addiction in adolescents, identifying relevant behaviors for its prevention and treatment, analyzing the factors involved, recognizing their cyclicality. 37 articles with 56 records were selected through a bibliographic search in Web of Science, Scopus and PsycInfo. Previously established associations were identified (abuse, support, knowledge, control, attachment and parenting styles, family functioning, parent–child rela‑ tionship and mental health) along with new related factors (attitude towards video games, parental phubbing, parental conflicts, pressure) that could contribute to the prevention and treatment of this problem. The family environment is key to managing and preventing internet gaming disorder in adolescents. Keywords Parents· Behavioral addictions· Video game addiction· IGD· Internet gaming disorder Video games are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in today’s society (Şalvarlı & Griffiths, 2022). The increasing adoption of this form of leisure is evident in the numbers: in just six years, the number of computer gamers has increased from 1.8 bil‑ lion to 2 billion (Vuong etal., 2021). These interactive applications allow virtual environment immersion where one can face challenges (Mills etal., 2016). This form of entertainment has also been recognized as a valuable tool in education, healthcare, military training, disaster management, marketing, corporate management, and tourism (Bihari & Pattanaik, 2023). In addition, they provide cognitive and perceptual benefits, such as improvements in cognitive skills, motivation, and social functioning (Granic etal., 2014). * Carmen Rosales‑Navarro carrosna[email protected]; carmenrosana[email protected] Inmaculada Torres Pérez mtor[email protected] 1 Department ofPersonality, Psychological Evaluation andTreatment, University ofSeville, Seville, Spain International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Despite their popularity and benefits, video games have also raised significant concerns in different areas. Recent research has highlighted possible negative effects, such as addic‑ tion, aggressive behavior, and sedentary lifestyle (Bonnaire etal., 2019). Video Game Addiction The internet gaming disorder (IGD) inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‑5) and its recognition as a diagnosis in the International Classifi‑ cation of Diseases (ICD‑11) highlight concerns about the mental health impact of exces‑ sive gaming (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). IGD is characterized by frequent gaming that negatively impacts daily functioning, affecting social relationships, family responsibilities, and self‑care (WHO, 2019). Prevalence rates vary by classification criteria: Stevens etal. (2021) report a 3% preva‑ lence, dropping to 1.9% with stricter criteria, while other studies suggest 5% (Limone etal., 2023). Among adolescents, prevalence rises between 1.9% and 5.9% (Sugaya etal., 2019), with higher rates in Asian countries (Stevens etal., 2021). Most gamers are male, with adolescents spending the most time gaming and having the highest addiction rates (Limone etal., 2023; Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022; Stevens etal., 2021; Sugaya etal., 2019). Although addiction rates favor boys by 2.5:1, recent findings indicate a rising trend among girls (Stevens etal., 2021). Adolescent video game addiction has been linked to potential changes in emotional and psychosocial well‑being, including alterations in self‑esteem, life satisfaction, social sup‑ port, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression. (Limone etal., 2023; Sugaya etal., 2019). Studies report psychological alterations such as emotional instability, changes in personality, mood, diet, sleep patterns, and behavior (Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022; Sugaya etal., 2019). Moreover, cognitive challenges, including attention and memory problems, dysfunctional coping, diminished problem‑solving, and lower academic performance, are common (Limone etal., 2023). Several predictive factors of IGD in adolescents include depression, anxiety, emotional dependence, social withdrawal, and low academic performance (Limone et al., 2023). Additionally, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), impulsivity, aggression, low self‑esteem, poor emotional control, social skills difficulties, and negative coping strategies increase vulnerability to the disorder (Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022). A key feature of video game addiction is the presence of factors that serve as both predictors and outcomes, such as anxiety, social withdrawal, low academic scores. This creates a cycle where anxiety increases problematic gaming, which then intensifies anxi‑ ety, forming a self‑perpetuating loop. This “loop of causality” is central to addiction, as symptoms and adverse consequences reinforce each other, complicating efforts to break the cycle (Limone etal., 2023). Parenting Behaviors Family influence on the onset and persistence of internet gaming disorder in adolescents is subject of study in the scientific literature. This disorder not only affects young people, but also their relatives, especially parents, who may contribute to its development and persis‑ tence (Bonnaire etal., 2019). Diagnosis criteria from both DSM‑5 and ICD‑11 highlight International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction the close relationship of IGD and family‑related factors (APA, 2013; Brandhorst etal., 2022; WHO, 2019). Family Functioning Despite variations in the definition of family functioning (Brandhorst etal., 2022), there is a significant association with gaming addiction in adolescents. A positive family envi‑ ronment and strong cohesion serve as protectors against compulsive gaming (Brandhorst etal., 2022). Furthermore, parents’ awareness about their children’s activities is inversely related to symptom severity, highlighting the importance of communication in prevention and treatment (Brandhorst etal., 2022). Parent–child Relationship The quality of family interactions plays a crucial role in the development of IGD. Longi‑ tudinal studies indicate that positive relationships between parents and adolescents act as a preventive factor and reduce addictive symptoms. In contrast, low closeness with parents, increased family conflict, and poorer family relationships have been associated with prob‑ lem gaming (Bussone etal., 2020; Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022; Sugaya etal., 2019). Family Attachment Gamers with insecure attachment often show more problematic gaming behaviors. Patho‑ logical gaming may be a coping mechanism for those with anxious attachment and a way to suppress negative emotions for those with avoidant attachment. Although direct evi‑ dence linking parental acceptance or rejection to video game addiction is lacking, there is an indirect influence through self‑esteem (Bussone etal., 2020). Additionally, a connection has been identified between disorganized attachment and attitudes towards parenting and IGD (Sugaya etal., 2019). Parental Abuse Emotional, physical or sexual abuse, as well as neglect, has been associated with an increased risk of developing internet gaming disorder in adolescents (Bussone etal., 2020). Parental aversiveness and lack of parental involvement correlates significantly with video game addiction (Coşa etal., 2022) and some people with IGD use video games as a way to escape painful memories of abuse (Sugaya etal., 2019). Parental Styles Parental styles arise from the combination of two dimensions: affection and control, giv‑ ing rise to four types: democratic (high affection and control), permissive (high affection and low control), authoritarian (low affection and high control) and negligent (low affec‑ tion and control). Affection refers to care and support, while control can be divided into two types: behavioral and psychological (González‑Cámara etal., 2019). In general, demo‑ cratic parenting stands out as the most beneficial, as it is associated with protective behav‑ iors (Bonnaire etal., 2019; González‑Cámara etal., 2019). However, in young people with IGD, permissive families with the use of video games prevail (Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022). International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Parental Control While parental control is a component of parenting styles, its relevance has grown in relation to internet gaming disorder. Various parenting resources emphasize the need for rules and restrictions (Brandhorst etal., 2022; Bussone etal., 2020; Rosales‑Navarro etal., 2024). Insufficient parental supervision, lack of guidelines for video game use, and psychological control are identified as risk factors for children’s psychological and behavioral development (Bonnaire etal., 2019; Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022; Sugaya etal., 2019). Moreover, limited resources and excessive parental involvement are significantly linked to video game addiction (Coşa etal., 2022), while higher autonomy, restrictive monitoring, and warmth in the home correlate with lower addiction levels (Coşa etal., 2022). Other Factors Parental mental health problems, such as anxiety, have been linked to video game addic‑ tion in adolescents (Sugaya etal., 2019). Although interparental conflicts have been considered, the meta‑analysis by Coşa etal. (2022) found no significant relationships with this disorder. Furthermore, according to Brandhorst etal. (2022) and Rojas‑Jara etal. (2022), parental overuse of video games could be related to addiction symptoms in adolescents. Study Objectives Considering the growing interest and proliferation of studies in this field in recent years, this systematic review aims to update the relationship between parental behaviors and video game addiction in adolescents. Specifically, its objectives are: 1) To analyze the parental behaviors associated with video game addiction, taking into account all related factors, since causes and effects influence each other (“loop of casu‑ ality”). 2) To identify parental behaviors that could be relevant for the prevention and treatment of video game addiction, considering that prevention programs should include content that adresses current parental models (Jiménez & Hidalgo, 2016), and that the most effective treatments involve not only the individual but also thir family (Limone etal., 2023). In this review, “internet gaming disorder” and “video game addiction”, among oth‑ ers, will be used interchangeably to refer to the use of video games from a pathological perspective, as distinguished from simple excess or recreational use. Method This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA methodology (Page etal. 2020). Studies that evaluated parental behaviors related to pathological use or addic‑ tion to video games in adolescents aged 10 to 19years were included (WHO, 2019), International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction excluding studies with samples that included neurodevelopmental disorders. Theoretical articles, theses, case studies, reviews, and meta‑analyses were also discarded. In case of doubt, the study was preselected. Web of Science, Scopus and PsycInfo databases were used, restricting the search to pub‑ lications between 2019 and 2023 (last 5years). The terms used were “parent*”, “adoles‑ cen*”, “teen*”, “youth*”, “videogam*”, “computer gam*”, “game addiction” and “gaming disorder” present in the title, abstract and/or keywords. Data were extracted from each study using SPSS software, recording characteristics such as name, author, year of publication, country of origin, study design, sample size, mean age and percentage of women. The methods of assessment of online gaming disorder and parental factors were also specified, recording the results and assigning a quality score to each study. Results Studies Selection The selection process followed the PRISMA flowchart (Page etal., 2020), summarized in Fig.1. 184 studies were identified in WoS, 105 in PsycInfo and 261 in Scopus. 57 theo‑ retical articles were excluded, and 274 duplicates were removed with Mendeley software, leaving 219 records, of which 146 were discarded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. Seventy‑one full articles were evaluated, excluding two due to lack of access, after trying to contact the authors. Finally, 37 articles were included, totaling 56 records. Data Analysis The number of articles has increased in recent years, with 2022 standing out with 12 pub‑ lications and 2023 with 10. Most of the studies came from China (17), followed by Turkey (8), Korea (4) and Germany and Spain (2 each). Articles from Australia, Romania, Taiwan and Vietnam were also found. The mean number of participants was 1827.95, with a range of 100 to 30,955. Seven studies did not provide the age of the participants; among the rest, the mean age was 14.32years, with a range of 12.10 to 16.60years (standard deviation of 1.16). The mean percentage of female participants was 44.73, including one study without female players. Several tools were used to assess video game addiction, including those of Young, Lem‑ mens etal., Yu etal., Pontes & Griffiths, Petry etal., Chamarro etal. and Lloret etal. The assessment of parental behaviors showed greater heterogeneity in the scales used due to the diversity of variables (For more information see Table1). Methodological quality was assessed using the fourteen criteria of the National Insti‑ tutes of Health tool for observational cohort and cross‑sectional studies (NIH, 2014). Each criterion met scored 1 point, giving a total score from 0 to 14. Based on this, studies were classified as ’poor’ (< 7), ’average’ (7–10), or ’good’ (> 10) in quality. As shown in Table1, three studies were rated as high quality (> 10 points), while 34 were classified as medium quality (7–10 points) according to the NIH (2014). Additionally, 81.1% of the studies employed a cross‑sectional design, with the remaining ones following a longitudi‑ nal approach. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Main Results Attitude Towards Video Games A weak positive correlation was found between parents’ knowledge of digital media risks and how to take precautions against them and IGD (Palanbek Yavas etal.,2023), as well as a strong correlation between parents’ perception of gaming addiction and IGD (Palanbek Yavas etal.,2023). Fig. 1 Flow chart of the bibliographic search. Note 1. *Reason 1: Participants outside the selected age range; *Reason 2: No connection between parental behaviors and video game addiction; *Reason 3: Low quality of the study International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Table 1 Coding of the variables related to the characteristics, methodology and quality of the selected articles Identification variables Sample Evaluation methods Quality N Article Country Design N Age % ♀DV IV 1 PalanbekYavas etal. 2023 Turkey Cross 345 13,4 45,5 Gaming Disorder Scale for Parents (GADIS‑P; Paschke etal., 2021) Digital Parenting Attitude Scale (Kaya etal., 2018) 8 Determining the Perceptions of Parents Towards Computer Game Addiction Scale (Ulusoy etal., 2019) 2 Wang etal., 2023a, 2023b China Cross 2413 NR 33,8 DSM‑5 IGD Symptoms Checklist for Adolescents (DISCA;Yang etal.,2021) 2 Questions of Perceived Parental’s Internet Gaming Behaviors (Wu etal., 2016) 7 3 Geniş & Ayaz‑Alkaya, 2023 Turkey Cross 1379 15,8 52,2 The Digital Game Addiction Scale (DGAS) (Lemmens etal., 2009) The Parental Attitude Scale (PAS;Lam‑ born etal., 1991) 8 4 Wang etal., 2023a, 2023b China Cross 698 13,52 48,42 Internet Gaming Disorder Questionnaire (Yu etal., 2015) The Children’s Perception of Interpa‑ rental Conflict Scale (CPIC;Chi & Xin, 2003) 8 5 Gan etal., 2023 China Cross 699 14,18 53,6 Internet Gaming Disorder Questionnaire (Yu etal., 2015) Child Psychological Abuse and Neglect Scale (Stoltenborgh etal., 2013) 8 6 Liang etal., 2023 China Cross 673 12,81 45,91 Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (Pontes & Griffiths, 2015) Parent‑Adolescent Conflcit Question‑ naire (Fang & Dong etal., 1998) 8 7 Chung etal., 2023 Korea Cross 467 15,62 7,28 Young Internet Addiction Scale (Lee etal., 2013) Maternal Behavior Research Instrument (MBRI‑K;Schaefer etal., 1959) 7 8 Rodríguez‑Ruíz etal. 2023 Spain Cross 397 14,82 42,9 The Questionnaire of Experiences Associated with Videogames (CERV;Chamarro etal., 2014) & The Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents (GASA;Lloret etal., 2017) The TXP Parenting Questionnaire (TXP‑A; Afecto‑comunicación y control‑estructura) (TXP‑C; Afecto‑comunicación y valores prosociales) (Benito etal., 2019) & The Parental Socialization Scale (Aceptación/Participación y Rigor/ Imposición) (ESPA‑29; Musitu & García, 2004) 9 International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Table 1 (continued) Identification variables Sample Evaluation methods Quality N Article Country Design N Age % ♀DV IV 9 Kaya & Pazarcıkcı, 2023 Turkey Cross 297 14,84 58,6 Digital Game Addiction Scale for Chil‑ dren (DGASC; Hazar & Hazar, 2017) NR 7 10 Taş 2023 Turkey Cross 360 15,55 54,7 Game Addiction Scale (Anlı and Taş, 2018) Psychological maltreatment question‑ naire (POPMIFA—Short form;Erkan & Görkem, 2021) 7 11 Gan etal., 2022 China Cross 1255 15,55 58,91 Internet Gaming Disorder Questionnaire (IGDQ;Yu etal., 2017) Family Assesment Device (FAD;Byles etal., 1988) 8 Parent–Child Relationship Scale (PCRS;Shen etal., 2012) 12 She etal., 2022 China Lng 1200 16,6 47,2 DSM‑5 IGD symptoms checklist (Siger‑ son etal., 2017) Psychological Control Scale‑Youth Self Report (Barber, 1996) 10 2 items to measure the frequency of verbal and physical abuse by parents (Schaefer, 1997) 4 items to measure parental support (Li etal., 2017) 1‑item Parent–Child Relationship (Yang etal., 2021) 13 Dou etal., 2022 China Lng 434 14,44 51,15 Adapted Internet Addiction Scale (Young, 1998) Parent Involvement Scale (Wu etal., 2018) 10 14 Esteve etal.2022 Spain Cross 219 14,67 59,81 Video‑Game Related Experiences Questionnaire (CERV; Chamarro etal., 2014) & Game Addiction Scale for adolescents (GASA; Lloret etal., 2018) TXP‑A Parenting Questionnaire 7 15 Kaymakcı etal., 2022 Turkey Cross 627 14,37 44,2 Gaming Addiction Scale for Adolescents (Ilgaz, 2015) Parental Pressure and Support for Greater Academic Performance (Kapıkıran, 2016) 8 International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Table 1 (continued) Identification variables Sample Evaluation methods Quality N Article Country Design N Age % ♀DV IV 16 Li etal., 2022 China Cross 3049 15,68 50,5 Short‑form Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (Sigerson etal., 2017) Parental Bounding Instrument (PBI; Kazarian etal., 1987) 7 17 Cuong etal., 2022 Vietnam Cross 2084 14,5 50,2 Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGD‑20 Test;Pontes etal., 2014) Parent‑family connectedness scale (Resnick etal., 1997) 8 Child Discipline Module (Vietnam General Statistical Office, 2006) & A question about Parental supervision of gaming ("Do your parent supervise your gaming behaviors?") 18 Shen etal., 2022 China Cross 809 13,15 48,82 Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (Petry etal., 2014) Parent Phubbing Scale (Roberts & David, 2016) 8 19 Warburton etal.2022 Australia Cross 866 14,12 43 10‑items Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT‑10; Király etal., 2013) Data form ad hoc with 3 items about Parental Boundaries on Video Game Use 8 Modified Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (MIPPA; Raja etal., 1992) Parent‑Family Connectedness Scale (PFCS; Mueller, 2009) 20 Mun, 2022 Korea Lng 393 NR 52,2 Modified Young’s Internet Addic‑ tion Scale (Young, 1998) or Game Addiction Scale (National Information Society Agency, 2009) Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD‑7; Spitzer etal., 2006) 9 21 Mun & Lee, 2022 Korea Lng 336 NR 42 Modified Young’s Internet Addic‑ tion Scale (Young, 1998) or Game Addiction Scale (National Information Society Agency, 2009) UCLA loneliness scale (Peplau & Perl‑ man, 1982) 9 International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction On the other hand, parental support was identified as a protective factor (She etal., 2022; Yang etal., 2021), while parental pressure was associated with increased IGD symptoms (Kaymakci etal. 2022). Since parental support fosters a secure emotional environment that may reduce the need for escapism, prevention efforts should empha‑ size the promotion of positive parent–child relationships through open communication and emotional availability. In this regard, healthy parental‑filial relationships have been related to a lower level of video game addiction (Cuong etal., 2022; Gan etal., 2022; She etal., 2022; Wang, 2022; Warburton etal., 2022; Yang etal., 2021), whereas parent‑adolescent conflict was positively linked to pathological gaming (Liang etal., 2023). Previous literature has found that low parental closeness, increased family conflict, and impaired family rela‑ tionship were associated with gaming addiction (Bussone etal., 2020; Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022; Sugaya etal., 2019). Likewise, family functioning comprises various aspects of relationships, communica‑ tion and family climate. However, the different conceptualizations of this term make it difficult to interpret the literature as a whole (Brandhorst etal., 2022). Still, all articles agreed on the existence of an association between poor family function and IGD (Gan etal., 2022; Irmak & Erdoğan,2019; Wartberg etal., 2019a, 2019b). In the case of the stydy by Gan etal. (2022) only adolescent girls were directly affected by this construct. Regarding family communication, the variable affect‑communication was also found to be highly relevant in the decrease of symptomatology (Esteve etal., 2022; Rodríguez‑ Ruíz etal.,2023). Although Coşa etal. (2022) meta‑analysis found no significant relationships between parental conflict and video game addiction due to the scarcity of studies, recent research supports a strong link (Wang, 2022; Wang etal., 2023a, 2023b), highlighting the impor‑ tance for continued research in this area. When differentiating between behavioral and psychological control (González‑Cámara etal., 2019), the findings align with previous literature (Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022; Sugaya etal., 2019). While psychological control —such as guilt induction and excessive criti‑ cism— was positively correlated with IGD (She etal., 2022; Yang etal., 2021), behav‑ ioral control strategies, including parental supervision and rule‑setting, were negatively correlated (Gan etal., 2022; Kaya & Pazarcıkcı, 2023; Koc etal., 2022; Wu etal., 2020), except for the studies by Warburton etal. (2022) and Esteve etal. (2022). However, in Koc etal. (2022) study, many mothers of adolescents with IGD reported being the only ones enforcing rules, suggesting that inconsistent regulation within families may contribute to increased IGD risk (Brandhorst etal., 2022). Many parenting guides emphasize control, rules, and restrictions (Brandhorst etal., 2022; Rosales‑Navarro etal., 2024), as such, it is important to promote a structured but flexible approach to rule‑setting, ensuring consist‑ ency between caregivers. In addition, parental knowledge of adolescent activities was negatively associated with IGD (Liang etal., 2021), supporting the results of Brandhorst etal. (2022). Nevertheless, the effectiveness of parental monitoring may depend on the adolescent’s willingness to dis‑ close information. Excessive pressure to obtain such information could have counterpro‑ ductive effects (Brandhorst etal., 2022), so trust‑based communication between parents and adolescents should be encouraged rather than focusing solely on parental control. Following the findings of Coşa etal. (2022), resource restriction was associated with video game addiction, although in this review only with restriction by the mother (Rod‑ ríguez‑Ruíz etal.,2023). This may be related to the unstructured norms in families of ado‑ lescents with IGD. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Regarding parenting approaches, the democratic style has been considered the most beneficial (González‑Cámara etal., 2019), showing lower scores in video game addiction in this review (Dou etal., 2022; Geniş & Ayaz‑Alkaya, 2023; Jeong etal., 2021). In con‑ trast, intrusive practices that interfere with autonomy were significantly associated with video game addiction (Chung etal., 2023; Coşa etal., 2022; Li etal., 2022; Koc etal., 2022). Therefore, the linkage of overprotective (Chen et al., 2020; Li etal., 2022) and authoritarian (Cheng, 2019) styles with IGD is consistent. Moreover, adolescents raised in permissive households have shown a greater likelihood of developing IGD (Maftei & Enea, 2020), a trend that may be exacerbated by the normalization of unrestricted gaming within families (Rojas‑Jara etal., 2022). Neglectful practices have also been associated with increased risk (Bussone et al., 2020; Coşa etal., 2022). Parental rejection and its negligent attitude were associated with increased video game addiction (Chen etal., 2020; Gan etal., 2023; Geniş & Ayaz‑Alkaya, 2023; Rodríguez‑Ruíz etal.,2023; Xie etal., 2021; Zhu & Chen, 2021). In this regard, parental phubbing, which represents a form of digital neglect (Shen etal., 2022), has shown a direct effect on IGD symptoms (Shen etal., 2022; Xie etal., 2021). However, other stud‑ ies found no relationship between parenting styles and video game addiction (Chung etal., 2023; Koc etal., 2022). Regarding the other dimension of parenting styles, in the study by Chen etal. (2020) low parental warmth was related to IGD in adolescents, although other studies only found a relationship with one of the two parents (Chung etal., 2023; Rodríguez‑Ruíz etal., 2023). Only the study by Warburton et al. (2022) studied attachment styles, finding secure attachment as a protective factor. This attachment style is related to variables such as paren‑ tal care and acceptance (González‑Cámara etal., 2019) that were also related to lower lev‑ els of addiction (Chung etal., 2023; Li etal., 2022). Finally, parental health has become an increasingly important factor in recent years. Until now, it had been identified that parental emotional well‑being problems could be an important risk factor (Sugaya etal., 2019). This review specifically found a relationship between parental anxiety, loneliness and depression and video game addiction (Koc etal., 2022; Mun, 2022; Mun & Lee, 2022; Wartberg etal., 2019a, 2019b), with the exception of the study by Koc etal., (2022). That is why interventions should incorporate support for parents’ mental health, recognizing that improving parental emotional stability may have positive effects on both the family and adolescents. Limitations andStrengths Most of the selected studies were of average quality and shower a great diversity in the conceptualization of variables, both in scales and definitions. Some articles used ad hoc measurement tools, while others did not specify the scales employed. Additionally, some studies failed to report the average age of participants. Although the gender distribution was generally equitable, it decreased when analyzing video game addiction, and few stud‑ ies evaluated the results by gender. Moreover, many studies did not specify whether paren‑ tal behaviours were assessed separately for fathers and mother, limiting the integration of a gender perspective into the findings. A significant methodological limitation is that most of the studies were cross‑sectional, restricting the ability to stablish casual relationships between parental behaviors and IGD. Another key concern is that a large proportion of studies were conducted in Asian coun‑ tries. This raises questions regarding the influence of cultural values on parental practices International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction and their association with IGD. Further research in diverse cultural contexts may be conducted to determine whether these relationships hold across different sociocultural backgrounds. Among the limitations of the review itself, its qualitative nature stands out. Addition‑ ally, the literature search was carried out exclusively in English and many of the associa‑ tions were based on a small number of studies, which limits the robustness of some conclu‑ sions. Lastly, two studies were excluded due to the inability to access their full text. Despite these limitations, this review offers valuable insights for prevention and clinical practice. The systematization of the developed process and the advances achieved in the literature stand out. Parental behaviors associated with internet gaming disorder described here may help professionals identify at‑risk adolescents and develop targeted preventive and educational programs for adolescents and families. Future Research Directions Future studies should prioritize longitudinal designs to better understand how parental behaviors influence IGD over time. Additionally, research should explore cultural differ‑ ences in parental factors and their impact on adolescent gaming behaviors to improve the generalizability of findings. The inclusion of a gender‑sensitive approach is also essen‑ tial, as differences in maternal and paternal parenting practices, as well as the distinctions between female and male gamers, remain insufficiently explored. Finally, future stud‑ ies should emphasize the use of standardized assessment tools to enhance comparability across studies and strengthen the robustness of findings. Conclusions Current research highlights the importance of considering the family environment in the development and management of internet gaming disorder in adolescence. Both preventive programs and therapeutic interventions should integrate this dimension to enhance their effectiveness. The findings of this review provide a framework for future research aimed at identifying protective and risk factors, emphasizing the central roles of parental behaviors. Given their direct influence on IGD, these findings support the need for a comprehensive clinical approach that actively involves the entire family in the prevention and treatment of video game addiction in adolescents. Funding Funding for open access publishing: Universidad de Sevilla/CBUA. Declarations Conflict of Interest The authors of this work declare that there is no conflict of interest. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Com‑ mons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction References American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5a ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1176/ appi. books. 97808 90425 596 Bihari, I., & Pattanaik, D. (2023). Professional gaming and pro‑gamers: What do we know so far? A system‑ atic review. Games and Culture, 19(1), 116–135. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1177/ 15554 12023 11540 58 Bonnaire, C., Liddle, H., Har, A., Nielsen, P., & Phan, O. (2019). Why and how to include parents in the treatment of adolescents presenting Internet gaming disorder? Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 8(2), 201–212. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1556/ 2006.8. 2019. 27 Brandhorst, I., Renner, T., & y Barth, G. M. (2022). Parental factors in internet and computer game addiction in adolescence: An overview. Zeitschrift Fur Kinder-und Jugendpsychiatrie Und Psychotherapie, 50(1), 37–50. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1024/ 1422‑ 4917/ a0008 17 Bussone, S., Trentini, C., Tambelli, R., & y Carola, V. (2020). Early‑life interpersonal and affective risk fac‑ tors for pathological gaming. Frontiers In Psychiatry, 11, 423. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fpsyt. 2020. 00423 Chen, I.‑H., Lee, Z.‑H., Dong, X.‑Y., Hugh, G. J., & Feng, H.‑W. (2020). The influence of parenting style and time management tendency on internet gaming disorder among adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), 9120. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ ijerp h1723 9120 Cheng, Y. (2019). The mediating effects of motivation for playing Pokémon Go on internet gaming dis‑ order and well–being. American Journal of Family Therapy, 47(1), 19–36. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1080/ 01926 187. 2019. 15836 14 Chung, S. A., Bae, S., Kim, H. J., Lee, J. W., Hwang, H., & Han, D. H. (2023). Mediating effects of attention problems on the link between parenting style and internet gaming disorder in adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1211889. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fpsyt. 2023. 12118 89 Coşa, I. M., Dobrean, A., Georgescu, R., & y Păsărelu, C. (2022). Parental behaviors associated with internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: A quantitative meta‑analysis. Current Psychology, 42(22), 19401–19418. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s12144‑ 022‑ 04018‑6 Cuong, V. M., Assanangkornchai, S., Wichaidit, W., Minh Hanh, V. T., & My Hanh, H. T. (2022). Asso‑ ciations between gaming disorder, parent‑child relationship, parental supervision, and discipline styles: Findings from a school‑based survey during the COVID‑19 pandemic in Vietnam. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 10(3), 722–730. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1556/ 2006. 2021. 00064 Dou, K., Feng, X.‑K., Wang, L.‑X., & Li, J.‑B. (2022). Longitudinal association between parental involvement and internet gaming disorder among Chinese adolescents: Consideration of future con‑ sequences as a mediator and peer victimization as a moderator. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 11(3), 820–830. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1556/ 2006. 2022. 00056 Esteve, A., Jovani, A., Benito, A., Baquero, A., Haro, G., & Rodríguez‑Ruíz, F. (2022). Dual diagnosis in adolescents with problematic use of video games: Beyond substances. Brain Sciences, 12(8), 1110. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ brain sci12 081110 Gan, X., Qin, K.‑N., Xiang, G.‑X., & Jin, X. (2023). The relationship between parental neglect and cyberbullying perpetration among Chinese adolescent: The sequential role of cyberbullying vic‑ timization and internet gaming disorder. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1128123. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fpubh. 2023. 11281 23 Gan, X., Xiang, G.‑X., Jin, X., Zhu, C.‑S., & Yu, C.‑F. (2022). How Does Family Dysfunction Influence Internet Gaming Disorder? Testing a Moderated Serial Mediation Model Among Chinese Adolescents. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 22, 648–665. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s11469‑ 022‑ 00895‑x Geniş, Ç., & Ayaz‑Alkaya, S. (2023). Digital game addiction, social anxiety, and parental attitudes in adolescents: A cross‑sectional study. Children and Youth Services Review, 149, 106931. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. child youth. 2023. 106931 González‑Cámara, M., Osorio, A., & Reparaz, C. (2019). Measurement and Function of the Control Dimension in Parenting Styles: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(7), 3157. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ ijerp h1617 3157 Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2014). The benefits of playing video games. American Psychologist, 69(1), 66–78. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1037/ a0034 857 Irmak, A. Y., & Erdoğan, S. (2019). Predictors for digital game addiction among Turkish adolescents: A Cox’s interaction model‑based study. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 30(1), 49–56. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1097/ JAN. 00000 00000 000265 Jeong, E. J., Lee, D., Lee, S. J., & Kong, J. (2021). Pathological gaming in South Korean adolescents from the perspectives of self‑esteem and self‑control. Social Behavior and Personality, 49(3), e9657. https:// doi. org/ 10. 2224/ SBP. 9657 International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Jiménez, L., & Hidalgo, V. (2016). La incorporación de prácticas basadas en evidencias en el trabajo con familias: Los programas de promoción de parentalidad positiva. Apuntes de Psicología, 34(2–3), 91–100. https:// doi. org/ 10. 55414/ ap. v34i2‑3. 600 Kaya, A., & Pazarcıkcı, F. (2023). Structural equation modeling analysis of risk factors for digital game addiction in adolescents: A web‑based study. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 43, 22–28. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. apnu. 2022. 12. 031 Kaymakci, D., Eksi, H., & Yaman, K. G. (2022). The Mediating role of emotion regulation on the effect of parental pressure for greater academic performance on gaming addiction; [Ebeveyn Akademik Basari Baskisinin Oyun Bagimliligi Üzerinde Etkisinde Duygu Düzenlemenin Araci Rolü]. Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Journal, 12(66), 495–512. https:// doi. org/ 10. 17066/ tpdrd. 11751 96 Koc, E. B., Karacetin, G., Mutlu, C., Onal, B. S., Ciftci, A., & Ercan, O. (2020). Assessment of attitude of parents towards adolescents with Internet gaming disorder. Pediatrics International, 62(7), 848–856. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1111/ ped. 14238 Lee, S., Yoo, S. K., Young, D. S., Sun, M. K., & Doug, H. H. (2022). Effect of parental perception on the prevalence of adolescent internet gaming disorder during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Psychiatry Investigation, 19(5), 348–355. https:// doi. org/ 10. 30773/ pi. 2021. 0260 Li, Z., Shi, L., & Cai, X. (2022). Smartphone addiction is more harmful to adolescents than Internet gaming disorder: Divergence in the impact of parenting styles. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1044190. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fpsyg. 2022. 10441 90 Liang, Q., Yu, C., Xing, Q., Chen, P., & Li, S. (2023). Parent‑Adolescent Conflict, Peer Victimization, and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Effect of OXTR Gene rs53576 Polymorphism. Child Psychiatry and Human Development. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s10578‑ 023‑ 01523‑y Liang, Q., Yu, C., Xing, Q., Liu, Q., & Chen, P. (2021). The Influence of parental knowledge and basic psy‑ chological needs satisfaction on peer victimization and internet gaming disorder among Chinese ado‑ lescents: A mediated moderation model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2397. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ ijerp h1805 2397 Limone, P., Ragni, B., & Toto, G. A. (2023). The epidemiology and effects of video game addiction: A systematic review and meta‑analysis. Acta Psychologica, 241, 104047. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. actpsy. 2023. 104047 Maftei, A., & Enea, V. (2020). Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder and parenting styles in Romanian adolescents. Psihologija, 53(3), 307–318. https:// doi. org/ 10. 2298/ PSI19 08080 08M Mills, D., Mettler, J., Sornberger, M., & Heath, N. (2016). Adolescent problematic gaming and domain‑ specific perceptions of self. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, 6(4), 44–56. https:// doi. org/ 10. 4018/ IJCBPL. 20161 00104 Mun, I. B. (2022). A Longitudinal Study on the Effects of Parental Anxiety on Mobile Game Addiction in Adolescents: the Mediating Role of Adolescent Anxiety and Loneliness. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 22. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s11469‑ 022‑ 00890‑2 Mun, I. B., & Lee, S. (2022). A longitudinal study of the impact of parental loneliness on adolescents’ online game addiction: The mediating roles of adolescents’ social skill deficits and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 136, 107375. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. chb. 2022. 107375 National Institutes of Health. (2014). Study quality assessment tool. https:// www. nhlbi. nih. gov/ health‑ top‑ ics/ study‑ quali ty‑ asses sment‑ tools. Accessed 10 Apr 2024. Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo‑Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2020). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. The BMJ, 372(71). https:// doi. org/ 10. 1136/ bmj. n71 Palanbek Yavas, S., Baysan, C., & Baysan Arabaci, L. (2023). Gaming disorder scale for parents: Reliability and validity study of the Turkish form. Turk Psikiyatri Dergisi, 34(3), 181–190. https:// doi. org/ 10. 5080/ u27320 Rodríguez‑Ruíz, F., Marí‑Sanmillán, M. I., Benito, A., Castellano‑García, F., Sánchez‑Llorens, M., Almo‑ dóvar‑Fernández, I., & Haro, G. (2023). Relationship of gaming disorder with parenting based on low affection‑communication and personality trait of neuroticism in adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1147601. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fpsyg. 2023. 11476 01 Rojas‑Jara, C., Carrasco, R. P., Navarro‑Castillo, R., Faúndez‑Castillo, F., & Chamorro‑Gallardo, M. (2022). “Game (not) over”: A systematic review of video game disorder in adolescents. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 31(2), 45–64. https:// doi. org/ 10. 15446/ rcp. v31n2. 90741 Rosales‑Navarro, C., Barroso‑Díaz, S. & Jiménez, L. (2024). Análisis de Programas de Promoción deParen‑ talidad Positiva dirigidos a la Prevención del Abuso de las Nuevas Tecnologías. FundaciónAvanza DACIU. https:// doi. org/ 10. 60096/ funda ciona vanza/ 85120 24 International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Şalvarlı, Şİ, & Griffiths, M. D. (2022). The Association Between Internet Gaming Disorder and Impulsivity: A Systematic Review of Literature. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20, 92–118. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s11469‑ 019‑ 00126‑w She, R., Zhang, Y., & Yang, X. (2022). Parental Factors Associated With Internet Gaming Disorder Among First‑Year High School Students: Longitudinal Study. JMIR Serious Games, 10(4), e33806. https:// doi. org/ 10. 2196/ 33806 Shen, X., Xie, X., & Wu, S. (2022). Do adolescents addict to internet games after being phubbed by parents? The roles of maladaptive cognition and self‑esteem. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, 42, 2255–2267. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s12144‑ 022‑ 03255‑z Stevens, M. W., Dorstyn, D., Delfabbro, P. H., & King, D. L. (2021). Global prevalence of gaming dis‑ order: Asystematic review and meta‑analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55(6), 553–568.https:// doi. org/ 10. 1177/ 00048 67420 962851 Sugaya, N., Shirasaka, T., Takahashi, K., & Kanda, H. (2019). Bio‑psychosocial factors of children and adolescents with internet gaming disorder: A systematic review. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 13(3). https:// doi. org/ 10. 1186/ s13030‑ 019‑ 0144‑5 Taş, I. (2023). The relationship between parental emotional abuse and interpersonal competence and digital game addiction: A path analysis. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 65(1), 45–51. https:// doi. org/ 10. 4103/ india njpsy chiat ry. india njpsy chiat ry_ 263_ 21 Tetik, G., & Aktan, Z. D. (2021). The mediator effect of digital game addiction on the relationship between perceived parental attitudes and emotional intelligence among adolescents; [Ergenlerde algi‑ lanan ebeveyn tutumu ve duygusal zeka arasindaki ilişkide, dijital oyun baǧimliliǧinin araci rolünün incelenmesi]. Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi, 24(2), 181–190. https:// doi. org/ 10. 5505/ kpd. 2020. 32815 Vuong, Q. H., Ho, M. T., Nguyen, M. H., Pham, T. H., Vuong, T. T., Khuc, Q., … La, V. P. (2021). On the environment‑destructive probabilistic trends: A perceptual and behavioral study on video game players. Technology in Society, 65, 101530. https:// doi. org/ 10. 2139/ ssrn. 36290 56 Wang, P., Gan, X., Li, H., & Jin, X. (2023a). Parental marital conflict and internet gaming disorder among Chinese adolescents: The multiple mediating roles of deviant peer affiliation and teacher‑ student relationship. PLoS ONE, 18(1), 15. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journ al. pone. 02803 02 Wang, X., Li, Q., Wong, S. Y., & Yang, X. (2023b). Whether and how parental and friends’ internet gaming behaviors may affect adolescent internet gaming disorder symptoms: The cognitive and behavioral mecha‑ nisms. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s11469‑ 023‑ 01091‑1 Wang, Y. (2022). The impact of interparental conflicts on online game addiction symptomatology: The mediating roles of the parent‑adolescent relationship and loneliness in adolescents. Psychological Reports, 125(5), 2337–2356. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1177/ 00332 94121 10167 51 Warburton, W. A., Parkes, S., & Sweller, N. (2022). Internet gaming disorder: Evidence for a risk and resilience approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5587. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ ijerp h1909 5587 Wartberg, L., Kriston, L., Zieglmeier, M., Lincoln, T., & Kammerl, R. (2019a). A longitudinal study on psychosocial causes and consequences of Internet gaming disorder in adolescence. Psychological Medicine, 49(2), 287–294. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1017/ S0033 29171 80008 2X Wartberg, L., Zieglmeier, M., & Kammerl, R. (2019b). Accordance of adolescent and parental ratings of Internet gaming disorder and their associations with psychosocial aspects. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 22(4), 264–270. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1089/ cyber. 2018. 0456 World Health Organization. (2019). 6C51 gaming disorder. https:// icd. who. int/ browse/ 2024‑ 01/ mms/ en# 14485 97234. Accessed 15 Jan 2024. Wu, S., Wu, J., Wang, H., Li, C., Li, Y., Nie, W., Zhang, X., Wang, Q., Ren, Z., Jing, X., Chen, S., Liu, H., Liu, Z., Zhou, K., & Li, D. (2020). Internet behaviors and associated factor among Chinese primary school students; [中国小学生网络行为现状及影响因素分析]. Chinese Journal of School Health, 41(5), 704–708. https:// doi. org/ 10. 16835/j. cnki. 1000‑ 9817. 2020. 05. 019 Xie, X., Guo, Q., & Wang, P. (2021). Childhood parental neglect and adolescent internet gaming disor‑ der: From the perspective of a distal—proximal—process—outcome model. Children and Youth Services Review, 120, 105564. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. child youth. 2020. 105564 Yang, X., Jiang, X., Mo, P. K., Cai, Y., Ma, L., & Lau, J. T. (2021). Prevalence and interpersonal cor‑ relates of internet gaming disorders among Chinese adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 579. https:// doi. org/ 10. 3390/ ijerp h1702 0579 Yu, Y., Mo, P.K.‑H., Zhang, J., Li, J., & Lau, J.T.‑F. (2021). Impulsivity, Self‑control, Interpersonal Influences, and Maladaptive Cognitions as Factors of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Adoles‑ cents in China: Cross‑sectional Mediation Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(10), e26810. https:// doi. org/ 10. 2196/ 26810 International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Zhu, J., & Chen, Y. (2021). Developmental pathways from parental rejection to adolescent internet gam‑ ing disorder: A parallel process latent growth model. Children and Youth Services Review, 128, 106128. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. child youth. 2021. 106128 Publisher’s Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.