1
|
Pine R, Te Morenga L, Olson M, Fleming T. Development of a casual video game (Match Emoji) with psychological well-being concepts for young adolescents. Digit Health 2021; 7:20552076211047802. [PMID: 34691753 PMCID: PMC8529904 DOI: 10.1177/20552076211047802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital interventions for mental health and well-being have been shown to be effective in trials, yet uptake and retention in real-world settings are often disappointing. A more significant impact may be achieved by building interventions that are closer to how target groups use technology to support their own psychological well-being. Casual video games may be poised to offer an opportunity in this area as they are a highly popular activity among young people. We propose that mental health content can be integrated into the explicit content and the implicit processes used in casual video games. In this paper, we describe the design and core processes of Match Emoji, a casual video game designed to support the development of psychological well-being via gameplay and micro-messages. The iterative development of Match Emoji involved various phases, including a systematic review of the literature, consultation with target users, clinicians, game developers, and close reading of the literature. Expert collaboration was sought throughout the process to ensure gameplay and messages matched behaviour change and learning theories. An acceptability and feasibility study of Match Emoji will inform a randomised controlled trial in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Russell Pine
- School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Lisa Te Morenga
- Research Centre for Hauora and Health, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Theresa Fleming
- School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Brooks GA, Clark L. Associations between loot box use, problematic gaming and gambling, and gambling-related cognitions. Addict Behav 2019; 96:26-34. [PMID: 31030176 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Loot boxes are virtual goods in video games that produce randomly-generated in-game rewards, and have attracted scrutiny because of a resemblance to gambling. This study tests relationships between gaming involvement, engagement with loot boxes, and their associations with disordered gambling and gambling-related cognitions. Online questionnaires were completed by 144 adults via MTurk (Study 1) and 113 undergraduates (Study 2). Gaming and loot box-related variables included estimated time spent gaming and monthly expenditure, the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS), and questions that assessed perceptions and behaviours related to loot boxes. Most participants thought loot boxes were a form of gambling (68.1% & 86.2%). A subset of items were condensed into a unidimensional "Risky Loot-box Index" (RLI) via exploratory factor analysis. In Study 1, the RLI showed significant associations with the Problem Gambling Severity Index (r = .491, p < .001) and the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (r = .518, p < .001). Overall, gambling-related variables predicted 37.1% (p < .001) of the variance in RLI scores. Findings were replicated, though attenuated, in Study 2. These results demonstrate that besides the surface similarity of loot boxes to gambling, loot box engagement is correlated with gambling beliefs and problematic gambling behaviour in adult gamers.
Collapse
|
3
|
Dong G, Zheng H, Liu X, Wang Y, Du X, Potenza MN. Gender-related differences in cue-elicited cravings in Internet gaming disorder: The effects of deprivation. J Behav Addict 2018; 7:953-964. [PMID: 30556781 PMCID: PMC6376376 DOI: 10.1556/2006.7.2018.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Online gaming has become a popular leisure activity, in which males more frequently develop Internet gaming disorder (IGD) compared to females. However, gender-related neurocognitive differences have largely not been systematically investigated in IGD. METHODS Cue-elicited-craving tasks were performed before game playing and immediately after deprivation operationalized as a forced break from gaming when the Internet was disconnected. Ninety-nine subjects with IGD (27 males and 22 females) or recreational game use (RGU; 27 males and 23 females) provided functional MRI and subjective data. Analyses investigating effects of group (IGD and RGU) × gender (male and female) at different times (pre-gaming, post-gaming, and post-pre) on cue-elicited craving and brain responses were performed. Correlations between brain responses and subjective measures were calculated. RESULTS In pre-, post-, and post-pre tests, significant gender-by-group interactions (p < .001, cluster size > 15 voxels) were observed in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Further analyses of the DLPFC cluster showed that in post-pre comparisons, results were related to less engagement of the DLPFC in IGD, especially in females. In addition, at post-test, significant interactions were observed in the caudate, as females with IGD showed greater activation as compared to those with RGU. DISCUSSION The results raise the possibility that women with RGU may show better executive control than men when facing gaming cues, which may provide resiliency against developing IGD; however, once they develop IGD, their gaming may impair their executive control and enhance their cravings for gaming, which may make it more difficult to quit gaming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangheng Dong
- School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, P. R. China,Corresponding authors: Prof. Guangheng Dong, PhD; School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, 1 Keji Road, Fujian Province, Fuzhou 321004, P. R. China; Phone: +86 158 6794 9909; Fax: +86 579 8228 2549; E-mail: ; Prof. Marc N. Potenza, PhD, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 1 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Phone: +1 203 737 3553; Fax: +1 203 737 3591; E-mail:
| | - Hui Zheng
- Institute of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyue Liu
- Institute of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, P. R. China
| | - Yifan Wang
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxia Du
- Department of Physics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA,Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA,National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA,Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA,Corresponding authors: Prof. Guangheng Dong, PhD; School of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, 1 Keji Road, Fujian Province, Fuzhou 321004, P. R. China; Phone: +86 158 6794 9909; Fax: +86 579 8228 2549; E-mail: ; Prof. Marc N. Potenza, PhD, MD; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 1 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Phone: +1 203 737 3553; Fax: +1 203 737 3591; E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ustinavičienė R, Škėmienė L, Lukšienė D, Radišauskas R, Kalinienė G, Vasilavičius P. Association between computer game type, playing time and sense of coherence in Lithuanian adolescents. Cent Eur J Public Health 2018; 26:209-214. [PMID: 30419624 DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE As an excessive gaming is the addiction of the 21th century, purpose of our study was to investigate how sense of coherence interacts with gaming time, choice of various games types, age and gender characteristics. Our task was to evaluate relationship between computer gaming and an adolescent's sense of coherence. METHODS A cross-sectional study based on a self-reported questionnaire was performed among the representative samples of 1,806 adolescents aged 13-18 years. Adolescents reported the amount of time spent gaming computer games, types of games, as well as sense of coherence. The relations between the choice of computer games type, time spent gaming computer games and sense of coherence of respondents were assessed by odds ratio using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS 32.9% of boys and 81.1% of girls reported gaming computer games less than 5 hours per day during the last month (p < 0.001). 30.9% of boys and 4.1% of girls reported gaming computer games more than 10 hours per day during the last month (p < 0.001). Boys and girls aged 13-15 with a weak sense of coherence had significantly higher probability to play action or combat computer games for 5 or more hours per day in comparison to the respondents who had a strong sense of coherence. Also, this probability was 2 times higher among boys than among girls. CONCLUSION Sense of coherence is a useful tool to identify adolescents who are at risk of excessive gaming. Game playing time is linked to the sense of coherence. Adolescent with a weak sense of coherence had a higher probability to play more times, especially in younger age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruta Ustinavičienė
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Lina Škėmienė
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Dalia Lukšienė
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Ričardas Radišauskas
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Gintarė Kalinienė
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Paulius Vasilavičius
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| |
Collapse
|