Preprint: “It’s a good distraction from the mayhem of reality”: An exploratory qualitative study on video gaming during the COVID-19 lockdown.

George Farmer, Nina Higson-Sweeney and Chris Fullwood 2024. Preprint: “It’s a good distraction from the mayhem of reality”: An exploratory qualitative study on video gaming during the COVID-19 lockdown. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/f43e2

TitlePreprint: “It’s a good distraction from the mayhem of reality”: An exploratory qualitative study on video gaming during the COVID-19 lockdown.
AuthorsGeorge Farmer, Nina Higson-Sweeney and Chris Fullwood
Description

Social distancing measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic created periods of social isolation and stress for many individuals. In the current study, we offer a glimpse into the lives of video gamers during the pandemic and the role of video games in navigating COVID-19 stressors. Thematic analysis of 13 interviews uncovered three themes that focus on video games, coping, and well-being. For many participants, video games provided what the lockdown took away: permitting the restoration of agency, community, and a sense of purpose. Immersing oneself in video games was a proactive coping mechanism for some but protective for others, suggesting a range of strategies that likely differed in effectiveness. Finally, gamers discussed the tension between viewing gaming as a beneficial and valuable activity versus unproductive time-wasting. Findings are evaluated through the lens of self-determination theory and speak to video gaming as a compensatory activity during times of crisis, which applies to future global health events beyond COVID-19.

Year2024
Output mediaPsyArXiv preprint
PublisherPsyArXiv
Publication dates
Published03 Jul 2024
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/f43e2
Web address (URL)https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/f43e2

Related outputs

Two Sides of the Same Virtual Coin: Investigating Psychosocial Effects of Video Game Play, including Stress Relief Motivations as a Gateway to Problematic Video Game Usage
Farmer, G. and Lloyd, J. 2024. Two Sides of the Same Virtual Coin: Investigating Psychosocial Effects of Video Game Play, including Stress Relief Motivations as a Gateway to Problematic Video Game Usage. Healthcare. 12 (7) 772. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12070772

Preprint: Two Sides of the Same Virtual Coin: Investigating Psychosocial Effects of Video Game Play, Including Stress Relief Motivations as a Gateway to Problematic Video Game Usage
Farmer, G. and Lloyd, J. 2024. Preprint: Two Sides of the Same Virtual Coin: Investigating Psychosocial Effects of Video Game Play, Including Stress Relief Motivations as a Gateway to Problematic Video Game Usage. Preprints.org. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202401.1890.v1

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