The mediation role of academic procrastination in the relationship between online game addiction and school attachment in middle school students

The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of academic procrastination in the relationship between online game addiction and school attachment in secondary school students. The research model is the relational screening model. The study group of the research consists of 273 girls and 351 boys, totally 624 secondary school students studying in Şanlıurfa in the 2021-2022 academic year, with an average age of 12.26 (Sd = 1.16) between the ages of 10-16. Personal Information Form, Game Addiction Scale-Short Form for Adolescents, School Attachment Scale for Children and Adolescents, and Academic Procrastination Scale were used as data collection tools. Pearson Correlation Coefficient, t-Test for Independent Groups were used in the analysis of the data of the research, and the PROCESS macro and Bootstrap method based on Ordinary Least Squares Regression approach were used in the mediation analysis. According to the findings obtained from the study, there was a negative correlation between online game addiction and school attachment total score, friend, teacher and school attachment sub-dimensions; A positive and significant relationship was found between academic procrastination and academic procrastination. There was also a negative significant relationship between academic procrastination and the total score of school attachment, and the sub-dimensions of attachment to friends, teachers and school. In addition, academic procrastination has been found to have a mediating role between online game addiction and school attachment. According to gender, there was no significant difference between girls and boys in terms of online game addiction. It was observed that academic procrastination differed significantly according to gender, and males applied more academic procrastination. The total score of attachment to school and sub-dimensions of attachment to friends and teachers do not differ significantly according to gender. In the sub-dimension of school attachment, a significant difference was found between the groups in terms of gender; Accordingly, it was determined that girls were more attached to school. The findings of the study were discussed in the light of the relevant literature and various suggestions were presented to the researchers.