Proceedings of the 24th International Academic Conference, Barcelona

DOES PLAYING FAVORITE GAMES INDUCE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS?

HYE RIM LEE, EUI JUN JEONG, JOO WOO KIM

Abstract:

The present research was conducted to examine whether players’ life and game self-efficacy as experienced through their favorite gaming activities have therapeutic effects on their sense of depression, loneliness, and aggression. Importantly, we have investigated their relationships in an integrated path model using sub-factors of each construct. With survey data from 1227 South Korean online gamers, the current study used a path model to examine differences between the variables. We found that life and game self-efficacy were significantly negatively and positively related to degrees of depression and loneliness, respectively. Implications for game use as a potential therapeutic tool are discussed.

Keywords: life self-efficacy, game self-efficacy, depression, loneliness, therapeutic approach

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2016.024.052

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