Author(s)

Chang Wenliang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ HD Beijing School, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100024, China

Corresponding Author

Chang Wenliang

ABSTRACT

Research on adolescent gaming behavior has long focused on the association between gaming duration and pathological symptoms, while neglecting the structural influence of game design mechanisms themselves. Using a mixed-methods design, this study examines the relationships between three typical game mechanics, gacha/random rewards, consecutive check-ins, and competitive ranking systems, and adolescents' disordered gaming behavior, based on 54 questionnaires and 4 in-depth interviews. Three key findings emerge: First, distinct mechanics show differentiated associations with core dimensions of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD): gacha mechanisms primarily induce emotional dependence and compulsive repetition; ranking systems most strongly drive uncontrolled persistence and emotional volatility; and check-in mechanisms shape habitual login through loss aversion. Second, loss of control is not a persistent trait but a contextually activated episodic response, triggered by academic pressure, social deficiency, and other situational factors. Third, gaming and learning constitute an asymmetric competition within the motivational system, marked by a stark contrast between immediate rewards in games and delayed outcomes in academic learning. This study proposes a shift from the "games-are-harmful" narrative to a "mechanism-sensitivity" perspective, providing empirical support for family education, school design, and industry regulation.

KEYWORDS

Game Design Mechanisms; Disordered Gaming Behavior; Adolescents; Learning Motivation; Mixed-Methods Research

CITE THIS PAPER

Chang Wenliang. Game Design Mechanisms Associated with Loss of Control among Adolescents: A Mixed-Methods Study from a Motivational Perspective. Advances in Educational Technology and Psychology (2026). Vol. 10, No. 3, 39-46. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/aetp.2026.100306.

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