Beyond the joystick: Exploring the relationship between game addiction trajectories and aggression dimensions

Abstract

The present study investigates how varying developmental paths of game addiction relate to different forms of aggressive behavior, including physical and verbal aggression, anger, and hostility. Group-based trajectory modeling, using five waves of a Korean adolescent sample (n = 801), identified six distinct trajectories of game addiction. Furthermore, we investigated the specific associations between aggression and the developmental pathways of game addiction. The findings generally revealed a significant link between levels of aggression and the severity of game addiction. This study advances our understanding of the developmental relationship between game addiction trajectories and various aggression dimensions through an individual-level approach. Suggestions for future research and practical implications are discussed.