The Role of Violent Video Game Exposure, Personality, and Deviant Peers in Aggressive Behaviors Among Adolescents: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The impact of violent video game exposure (VVGE) on aggressive behaviors has been extensively explored, but still remains controversial. Although some studies have shown slight detrimental short-term effects of VVGE, other studies have failed to find any consequence. In addition, the existence of long-lasting effects on aggressiveness, or their impact on adolescents, are still not well established. One limitation of most of these studies is that they do not control for other important risk variables for aggressive behaviors, such as personality and deviant peers, nor have they investigated the possible moderation role of these risk factors in the link between VVGE and aggression. Therefore, the main aim was to examine the additive and interactive role of VVGE, personality, and deviant peers in adolescent aggressive behaviors cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Many regression analyses and a cross-lagged autoregressive model were carried out. At both waves, aggressive behavior was predicted by having deviant peers and specific personality traits, especially low agreeableness. VVGE also presented a slight but significant effect at both waves, but it became nonsignificant when controlling for other variables. No long-term effects on the relation between VVGE and aggressive behaviors were found. Some moderation effects were consistently found at both waves: when participants reported having more deviant peers, the effects of VVGE and low agreeableness on aggressive behaviors significantly increased. These findings suggest that multiple biopsychosocial variables and their complex interplay need to be examined to gain a better understanding of the origin and expression of aggressive behavior.

The association between violent video game exposure and sub-types of school bullying in Chinese adolescents

“…However, a balanced perspective should be adopted along with the program since normal Internet adolescent's users or adolescents under no VVGE or low-level VVGE categories were negatively associated with school bullying behaviors, which indicated the possible benefits of game playing ( 27 ). Notably, our results among these weak correlations between different sub-types of school bullying and VVGE were also in line with previous studies ( 26 , 28 , 29 ).…”

The Association between Video Game Type and Aggressive Behaviors in Saudi Youth: A Pilot Study

“…Catharsis theory posits that playing video games can release aggressive behavior and have a calming effect by channeling latent aggression, and therefore video games can positively affect player behavior [ 30 ]. Multiple longitudinal studies concluded that exposure to violent video games is unrelated to youth aggression [ 13 , 31 , 32 ]. Furthermore, a recent meta-analysis showed that longitudinal studies do not appear to support long-term links between playing violent video games and youth aggression.…”

Potential Moderator between Violent Video Games, Prosocial Media Violence and Aggressive Behaviours: Systematic Literature Review

“…The second sub-theme consists of three potential moderators which are ethnicity, deviant peers and social aspect. A study conducted by López-Fernández, Mezquita et al (2021) found that across both cross-sectional and longitudinal waves, the presence of a deviant friend moderated the increase of aggressive behaviour among adolescents who with greater exposure to VVG. Meanwhile, Halbrook, O'Donnell and Msetfi (2019) noted that video-game effects on well-being greatly depended on the moderation ability of social aspects which in this case could strengthen or weaken the relationship.…”