Can Online Games Actually Be Psychologically Beneficial?

Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of the provision of communication and social support on an online gaming platform.

Engaging in video games is a daily routine for countless humans, providing a valuable source of entertainment and stress relief. With the Internet facilitating gaming as a social activity, this hobby can serve multiple purposes. However, concerns are growing about the potential downsides of excessive gaming, such as isolation, addictive behaviors, and mood or attitude changes. These negative effects can potentially exacerbate anxiety and depression in some individuals and affect their social relationships in various ways.

A new study in Sociological Focus enriches existing knowledge by underscoring the importance of social connection and support among online gamers. The research was conducted by Tyler Prochnow, Ph.D., and Megan Patterson, Ph.D., from the Department of Health Behaviors at Texas A&M University School of Public Health, and colleagues from the University of North Carolina and Baylor University. The team used social network analysis to investigate the social framing of an online gaming platform at two points in time. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of social support, sense of community, and depression symptoms on social ties over time.

The research team analyzed a social network of members of an online football simulation game site and surveyed members at the beginning and end of the game season. In the game, players play as the head coach of a soccer team and compete against other members of the site for 10 months. Members can communicate directly with each other through the site’s forums, chat and direct messaging features.

“We wanted to showcase the community building and informal relationships built through these online settings,” Prochnow said. “Many people feel a sense of community, support, and comfort through online gaming, and I think we need to do a better job measuring these connections and fostering them to improve mental health in today’s digital age.” Prochnow says.

Can Online Games Actually Be Psychologically Beneficial?

There were 37 members who responded to the survey at the beginning and 40 who responded at the end, with 30 members represented in both samples. Researchers collected data on age, gender and other demographic factors, as well as the number of hours members spent on the gaming site and playing other video games. Members also answered survey items on depressive symptoms and perceptions of talking to someone about problems. The researchers also asked members to list the people they talked to about important life issues in real life and on the gaming site.

Research has found a correlation between the strength of social networks and depression, and that stronger social networks give people more opportunities to find support. Informal social networks, such as those found in online gaming, can play a crucial role in coping with stressors and seeking formal help for anxiety or depression. This, coupled with research suggesting that people turn to social networks for help in difficult times, makes this study even more important.

The study found that social support, sense of community and depressive symptoms played a role in changes in the social structure of the game over time. The researchers observed that people who reported more social support online and less support in real life were more likely to reach out to other members. They also found that communication bonds were more likely to form when communication was reciprocal or transitive (involving groups or clusters of three people). In addition, players who spent more time on the site were more likely to have communication ties.

The researchers also found that members who reported feeling a greater sense of community and valuing being part of the site were more likely to form communication ties over time. In addition to being more likely to form connections, these members may also feel more comfortable talking about real-life topics. This points to the importance of a sense of community in online gaming sites, but online communities can also come with some drawbacks, such as the potential for sites to serve as political and ideological echo chambers.

The study noted that although members with less real-life support were more likely to form communication ties, those who reported more depressive symptoms were less likely to send communication ties over time. This may indicate a need for more formalized support, including telehealth mental health service options, for members experiencing depressive symptoms.

The findings of this study strengthen existing research on the links between mental health, social support, and online gaming, and point to the need for further research into the complex relationships within these domains. Further research into these domains and their interactions can help inform interventions to improve social connectedness and mental health for socially isolated communities and populations living in socially isolating times, such as the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: “Online Gaming Network Communication Dynamics, Depressive Symptoms, and Social Support: A Longitudinal Network Analysis” by Tyler Prochnowa, Megan S. Patterson, Logan Hartnell  and M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, 6 April 2023, Sociological Focus.
DOI: 10.1080/00380237.2023.2199171