Parent‒child Relationships and Gaming Addiction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Although numerous studies have examined the association between parent–child relationships and gaming addiction, the findings have varied widely due to demographic and methodological heterogeneity. This meta-analysis synthesized 82 effect sizes from 69 studies published through December 2024, encompassing 118,569 participants across developmental stages from primary school to university. The studies spanned 14 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, and Oceania. In addition, 27 distinct measures of parent–child relationships and 20 instruments assessing gaming addiction were used. A random-effects model revealed a significant negative association between parent–child relationship quality and gaming addiction (r = -0.177, 95% CI [–0.240, − 0.111], p < 0.001), indicating a small but meaningful effect. Substantial heterogeneity was detected (Q = 10807.288, I² = 99.25%), prompting moderator analyses. Developmental stage emerged as a key moderator: the association was largest in junior high school students (r = -0.220), smallest in university students (r = -0.129), and non‑significant for primary school students, suggesting developmental variation in the protective role of parent–child relationships. The cultural context also moderated the association, with the largest effect in South Korea (r = -0.249) and the smallest effect in Singapore (r = -0.149). The measurement approach had a notable influence, ranging from a positive association for the General Functioning Scale (GF; r = 0.363) to the largest negative association for the Game Addiction Scale (GAS; r = -0.319), whereas the gender ratio was not a significant moderator. Publication bias was not evident, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. These results underscore the protective role of positive parent–child relationships; reveal how this influence varies across developmental stages, cultural contexts, and measurement approaches; and advance developmental research by clarifying when and how parent–child relationships matter most for behavioral addictions.