Practical psychiatry: Taking gaming seriously – a primer for psychiatrists on gamers and gaming culture

Jeffrey C.L. Looi, Fiona A. Wilkes, Tarun Bastiampillai, Stephen Allison

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
38 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Objective: Up to three billion, of the eight billion people in the world, play videogames. Gaming is a significant global sociocultural influence. This primer will aid psychiatrists in understanding sociocultural milieux of gamers, who include patients and their communities. 

Method: A rapid narrative review. 

Results: Benefits include expression of personality, identity and culture through social aspects of gaming. Improved physical health, neurocognition, self-efficacy and quality of life are associated with gaming in those with certain mental health disorders including schizophrenia. Harms may include in-game discrimination, disordered gaming, as well as encouragement of online gambling. There is no longitudinal association between violent games and youth aggression. 

Conclusions: Psychiatrists should enquire about gaming as part of the sociocultural milieux of patients’ lives, and the perceived mental health benefits and harms of gaming.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)59-62
Number of pages4
JournalAustralasian Psychiatry
Volume32
Issue number1
Early online date31 Oct 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2024

Keywords

  • benefits
  • harms
  • online gaming
  • sociocultural milieu
  • video gaming

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