The DOI matches its Crossref record; 66 of the 67 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
When and How Video Games Can Be Good: A Review of the Positive Effects of Video Games on Well-Being
Open accessAbstract
Video games are a source of entertainment for a wide population and have varied effects on well-being. The purpose of this article is to comprehensively examine game-play research to identify the factors that contribute to these disparate well-being outcomes and to highlight the potential positive effects. On the basis of existing literature, we argue that the effects of gaming on well-being are moderated by other variables, such as motivations for gaming and video-game characteristics. Specifically, the inclusion of social activity can benefit prosocial behaviors and affect the relationship between violent video games and aggression that some studies have demonstrated. Moreover, the research on the relationship between violent video games and aggression depends greatly on individual and sociocontextual variables outside of game play. The inclusion of physical activity in games can provide an improvement in physical health with high levels of enjoyment, potentially increasing adherence rates. Overall, following our review, we determined that the effects of gaming on well-being are moderated by and depend on the motivation for gaming, outside variables, the presence of violence, social interaction, and physical activity. Thus, we argue that there is potential for an “optimal gaming profile” that can be used in the future for both academic- and industry-related research.
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“as such, there may be certain characteristics (e.g., an “optimal gaming profile”) that make an individual more likely to benefit from playing video games [17].”
From Health Benefits of Video Games in Adolescents and Young Adults (2026) · cites this paper as [17]
Citations
Cites
The benefits of playing video games.
Granic, I., Lobel, A., & Engels, R. C. M. E. (2014) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/a0034857 · Cited by 2,456
Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00366 · Cited by 2,219 · cited 1×
“Some study findings indicate that VVGs themselves have little to no relationship to prosocial behavior (Ferguson, 2015; Tear & Nielsen, 2013), whereas others demonstrate that VVGs are associated with lower prosocial behavior (Anderson & Bushman, 2001; Coyne, Warburton, Essig, & Stockdale, 2018).”
BackgroundThe challenge of defining wellbeing
Dodge, R., Daly, A., Huyton, J., & Sanders, L. (2012) · International Journal of Wellbeing · doi:10.5502/ijw.v2i3.4 · Cited by 2,166
Andreassen, C. S., Billieux, J., Griffiths, M. D., Kuss, D. J., Demetrovics, Z., Mazzoni, E., & Pallesen, S. (2016) · Psychology of Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1037/adb0000160 · Cited by 2,095 · cited 1×
“video games, well-being, aggression, health such as depression and anxiety (e.g., Mentzoni et al., 2011; Schou Andreassen et al., 2016).”
BackgroundAnderson, C. A., Shibuya, A., Ihori, N., Swing, E. L., Bushman, B. J., Sakamoto, A., Rothstein, H. R., & Saleem, M. (2010) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0018251 · Cited by 2,048
Increasing physical activity: a quantitative synthesis
Dishman, R. K., & Buckworth, J. (1996) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1097/00005768-199606000-00010 · Cited by 685 · cited 1×
“Given that 40% to 65% of participants drop out of a physical-activity program within the first 3 to 6 months (Dishman & Buckworth, 1996), providing a more enjoyable alternative exercise routine with continuously changing aspects could potentially decrease this dropout rate and encourage individuals…”
BackgroundVideo Games Do Affect Social Outcomes
Greitemeyer, T., & Mügge, D. O. (2014) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167213520459 · Cited by 652 · cited 3×
“(2014) demonstrated the positive effects of video games on four particular types of well-being: cognitive, motivational, emotional, and social; Greitemeyer and Mügge (2014) examined social outcomes only; Jones et al.”
BackgroundScholars’ open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal
Aarseth, E., Bean, A. M., Boonen, H., Colder Carras, M., Coulson, M., Das, D., Deleuze, J., Dunkels, E., Edman, J., Ferguson, C. J., et al. (2017) · Journal of Behavioral Addictions · doi:10.1556/2006.5.2016.088 · Cited by 629 · cited 1×
“There is much debate, however, on whether “gaming addiction” should be included as a disorder at all, given the lack of empirical support for it (Aarseth et al., 2017).”
BackgroundProblematic Video Game Use: Estimated Prevalence and Associations with Mental and Physical Health
Mentzoni, R. A., Brunborg, G. S., Molde, H., Myrseth, H., Skouverøe, K. J. M., Hetland, J., & Pallesen, S. (2011) · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · doi:10.1089/cyber.2010.0260 · Cited by 609
Ferguson, C. J. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691615592234 · Cited by 524 · cited 3×
“, 2018), whereas others have not come to such a definitive conclusion (Ferguson, 2015; Furuya-Kanamori & Doi, 2016; Sherry, 2007).”
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
- 10.7752/jpes.2018.01026 · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Video game play is positively correlated with well-being
Johannes, N., Vuorre, M., & Przybylski, A. K. (2021) · Royal Society Open Science · doi:10.1098/rsos.202049 · Cited by 330
Pallavicini, F., Pepe, A., & Mantovani, F. (2022) · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · doi:10.1089/cyber.2021.0252 · Cited by 201
Gaming motivations and gaming disorder symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Bäcklund, C., Elbe, P., Gavelin, H. M., Sörman, D. E., & Ljungberg, J. K. (2022) · Journal of Behavioral Addictions · doi:10.1556/2006.2022.00053 · Cited by 153
“Most individuals perceive video games as a source of enjoyment and encounter numerous bene fi ts from playing, including positive social relationships and increased well-being (Halbrook, O ’ Donnell, & Mset fi , 2019; Johannes, Vuorre, & Przybylski, 2021; Ryan, Rigby, & Przybylski, 2006).”
Time spent playing video games is unlikely to impact well-being
Vuorre, M., Johannes, N., Magnusson, K., & Przybylski, A. K. (2022) · Royal Society Open Science · doi:10.1098/rsos.220411 · Cited by 121
Commercial Off-The-Shelf Video Games for Reducing Stress and Anxiety: Systematic Review
Pallavicini, F., Pepe, A., & Mantovani, F. (2021) · JMIR Mental Health · doi:10.2196/28150 · Cited by 146
“Video games are increasingly being used in sectors such as education [15-17] and mental health [18-21].”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Limerick (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Halbrook, Yemaya J.
- Venue
- Perspectives on Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2019-11
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1096-1104
- ISSN
- 1745-6916 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-6924
- OpenAlex
- W2987291256
- Cited by
- 263
- References
- 67
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 53 · 2023: 55 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 6
- FWCI
- 5.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Perspectives on Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Limerick Institutional Repository (University of Limerick) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- University of Limerick Institutional Repository (University of Limerick) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- Arrow@dit (Dublin Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- University of Limerick Institutional Repository (University of Limerick)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- video games, well-being, gaming motivation, violent video games, aggression, prosocial behavior, social interaction in games, physical health, enjoyment, adherence, moderating effect
- MeSH terms
- Aggression, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Personal Satisfaction, Exercise, Video Games
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