Enhancing psychological wellbeing using video games.

The psychological impact of video gaming has received considerable attention in recent years, reflecting their continually increasing popularity. Much of the research has been driven by concerns over the negative impact of video game play, particularly in relation to violent games and young people. However, there is evidence for positive effects in relation to perceptual skills and cognitive abilities. Furthermore, casual video game play has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood. This study was designed to further investigate the potential benefits of video game play on psychological wellbeing. Two commercial, but non-traditional, video games were selected. The games chosen were developed to engage players in an interactive exploratory journey intended to ?contribute meaningful, enriching experiences that touch and inspire them?. The two experimental game conditions were compared to an internet search control condition. Participants took part in several sessions over a number of weeks to allow the effect of regular play to be evaluated. Standardised measures of stress, affect, psychological wellbeing and flow were taken throughout the study. The results are discussed in the context of developing video games with the explicit aim of enhancing the psychological wellbeing of users.