Research Article

Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents' emotional well-being in community dynamics

Number: 1 May 19, 2026

Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents' emotional well-being in community dynamics

Abstract

The increasing use of online games among rural adolescents is thought to decrease social interaction and community engagement which is important for psychological well-being. However, its influence and the role of emotional well-being as a moderator are still unclear, especially in rural contexts. This study aims to examine: (1) the effect of exposure to online games on the psychological well-being of rural adolescents, and (2) the role of emotional well-being moderation in these relationships. This study uses a quantitative approach with a survey design on rural adolescents in East Java through standardized instruments. The results of the analysis showed that exposure to online games had a significant effect on psychological well-being although it was relatively limited, while emotional well-being has not been shown to moderate these relationships. These findings confirm that exposure to online games is a limited risk factor. The novelty of this study lies in the simultaneous testing of the role of online game exposure and emotional well-being in the context of rural adolescents, which has been understudied in the previous literature.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Social Psychology, Educational Psychology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Publication Date

May 19, 2026

Submission Date

October 30, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 14, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 1

APA
Kholifah, N., & Chusnah, A. (2026). Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents’ emotional well-being in community dynamics. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences, 1, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20282602
AMA
1.Kholifah N, Chusnah A. Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents’ emotional well-being in community dynamics. PRESS. 2026;(1):1-12. doi:10.5281/zenodo.20282602
Chicago
Kholifah, Nanik, and Arinal Chusnah. 2026. “Online Game Exposure and Psychological Well-Being: Moderation of Rural Adolescents’ Emotional Well-Being in Community Dynamics”. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences, no. 1: 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20282602.
EndNote
Kholifah N, Chusnah A (May 1, 2026) Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents’ emotional well-being in community dynamics. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences 1 1–12.
IEEE
[1]N. Kholifah and A. Chusnah, “Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents’ emotional well-being in community dynamics”, PRESS, no. 1, pp. 1–12, May 2026, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.20282602.
ISNAD
Kholifah, Nanik - Chusnah, Arinal. “Online Game Exposure and Psychological Well-Being: Moderation of Rural Adolescents’ Emotional Well-Being in Community Dynamics”. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences. 1 (May 1, 2026): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20282602.
JAMA
1.Kholifah N, Chusnah A. Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents’ emotional well-being in community dynamics. PRESS. 2026;:1–12.
MLA
Kholifah, Nanik, and Arinal Chusnah. “Online Game Exposure and Psychological Well-Being: Moderation of Rural Adolescents’ Emotional Well-Being in Community Dynamics”. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences, no. 1, May 2026, pp. 1-12, doi:10.5281/zenodo.20282602.
Vancouver
1.Nanik Kholifah, Arinal Chusnah. Online game exposure and psychological well-being: moderation of rural adolescents’ emotional well-being in community dynamics. PRESS. 2026 May 1;(1):1-12. doi:10.5281/zenodo.20282602

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