Joint Latent Profile Analysis of BIS/BAS and Self-Control Systems in Gender Differences of Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese University Students: The Mediating Role of Anxiety and Depression in a Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is an emerging mental health concern with significant gender differences. However, the mechanisms underlying why females report higher anxiety and depression but lower IGD than males remain unclear.

METHODS

A total of 13,215 university students completed measures of the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation System (BIS/BAS), the Dual-Mode of Self-Control Scale (DMSC-s), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF). Given established gender differences in emotion regulation and addiction pathways, gender-stratified latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to capture sex-specific behavioral system configurations. The optimal profile solution was determined based on fit indices (AIC, BIC, aBIC), high entropy (>0.88), significant LMR-LRT and BLRT tests (p < 0.001), and theoretical interpretability. Parallel mediation analyses then examined the mediating roles of anxiety and depression between behavioral system profiles and IGD, with completely standardized indirect effects reported as effect size estimates.

RESULTS

Five stable behavioral system profiles were identified across genders: Low-drive, Impulsivity-dominant, Cold-cognitive, Pan-hyperactive, and Balanced. The Impulsivity-dominant and Pan-hyperactive profiles were associated with higher IGD levels, whereas the Cold-cognitive profile was associated with lower IGD levels. In males, both anxiety and depression showed significant indirect effects in the Impulsivity-dominant and Pan-hyperactive profiles (partially standardized indirect effects: 0.018-0.273). In females, depression showed no significant indirect effects; anxiety showed significant indirect effects in the Pan-hyperactive (0.269) and Impulsivity-dominant (0.145) profiles. These findings suggest that the mediating role of emotional distress in IGD differs by gender, with a notably weaker role for depression in females.

CONCLUSION

Females' higher emotional distress but lower IGD may reflect reduced associations between emotional distress and IGD among females. These findings challenge linear assumptions of emotion-addiction relationships and support gender-specific intervention strategies. Given the cross-sectional design, all mediation effects should be interpreted as statistical associations rather than causal pathways.