Several individuals across America engage in video games regularly. This activity has now become a source of relief and amusement. While the hobby could serve several purposes, the question is how online gaming affects mental health.
Online Gaming and Mental Health
According to SciTechDaily, there have been rising worries regarding whether too much online gaming results in counterproductive effects, such as addiction, isolation, and mood swings. Such adverse results may end up exacerbating depression or anxiety among certain individuals and affecting their social connections in various ways.
Now, a recent study took a deeper look into this link. This study, published in Sociological Focus, offers more insight regarding the importance of social support and interconnectivity for online gamers.
The researchers used social network analysis to examine an online gaming platform's social framework at two different time intervals. The study's purpose was to examine how depressive symptoms, social support, and community feelings affect social bonds as time passes.
They examined a social network that comprised players on an online football gaming platform. They surveyed the members at the start and end of the season. During the game, players serve as the head coach of a specific team and compete with other members for over 10 months. Members can connect with each other via chat, direct messages, or forums.
Social Support and Community Building in Online Games
According to Neuroscience News, Tyler Prochnow, a co-author of the study, explains that they wanted to demonstrate informational connections and community building in such digital environments. Prochnow adds that several people experience a sense of comfort, support, and community in online gaming. He also thinks that there is a need to do better in gauging such connections and using them to boost mental health in today's age of digitalization.
There were 40 members who answered the survey at the end, compared to 37 at the start. For both samples, there were 30 members represented. Demographic data and hours spent on gaming sites were collected. The members were also tasked with responding to a survey regarding depressive symptoms and their perceived capacity to talk to someone about issues. They were also asked to list down people in real life and online with whom they share important life issues.
Upon examining this, the researchers observed links between depression and the strength of social networks. SciTechDaily adds that having stronger social networks offers more chances for individuals to access support. Informal connections, including those in online gaming setups, may play a vital role when it comes to coping with and seeking help for depression and anxiety. This, mixed with the findings that people usually tune into social networks during turbulent times, adds to the study's relevance.
Notable findings were observed in the study. For one, depressive symptoms, community sense, and social support all played roles in the changes in the social structure of a game as time passed. The authors also noted that those with more reported online social support and those with less reported real-life support had higher likelihoods of reaching out to members.
On top of having higher likelihoods for connection, members were also found to be more comfortable discussing real-life matters. There were also findings related to trends of communication ties.
Such findings highlight the significance of the sense of community on such online gaming platforms. Overall, the findings reinforce current research regarding the links among online gaming, social support, and mental health. They also stress the need for further research to focus on the complex relationships among such facets.
Further research may boost interventions for enhancing mental health and social connection among those who are socially isolated and those who are living through times of social isolation, such as the earlier phases of the pandemic.
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