How does school climate have an impact on Adolescence Internet Gaming Disorder？Evidence from a longitudinal tracking study

Background: Empirical evidence confirms the association between institutional environments and adolescent maladaptive behaviors, yet the psychosocial processes connecting educational settings to Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) pathogenesis remain inadequately specified. This longitudinal investigation examines whether relative deprivation mediates school climate-IGD associations, while evaluating how individual impulsivity modulates these developmental pathways. Methods: A multi-phase cohort study tracked 1,065 Chinese primary students (initial cohort: 574 males, 491 females; mean age=10.19±0.75 years) across three semiannual assessments. Participant retention demonstrated acceptable attrition rates (T2=1,000; T3=930), with demographic stability maintained across waves (male proportion: T1=53.9%, T2=53.7%, T3=51.3%). Results: The school atmosphere at T1 was a significant negative predictor of IGD at T3. Additionally, relative deprivation at T2 mediated the relationship between T1 school climate and T3 IGD. Impulsivity at T3 moderated the association between T2 relative deprivation and T3 IGD, as well as the influence of T1 school atmosphere on T3 IGD. Limitations: The study relied on self-reported measures, which may have been influenced by social desirability biases, potentially affecting the accuracy of the results. Conclusions: These findings highlight relative deprivation as a key mechanism linking perceptions of school climate to IGD. Impulsivity emerged as a critical risk factor that amplifies this indirect effect. Intervention programs targeting IGD may benefit from the insights provided by this study.