Exploring the Relationship Between Video Game Engagement and Creative Thinking in Academic Environments: Cross-Sectional Study
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This study explores the relationship between video game engagement and creative thinking among university students in an academic setting. Utilizing a descriptive cross-sectional qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 university students aged 17–25 years, from various academic disciplines. The sample, predominantly female (57.5%) and aged 22 years (27.5%), provided diverse perspectives on the impact of video games on their academic and creative capabilities. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed significant insights into how video games may enhance creative problem-solving skills and overall creative thinking in an educational context. The study found that a high percentage of participants (47.5%) had a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0, suggesting a potential link between academic performance and video gaming habits. The results highlight the need for further research into specific game genres and their distinct influences on creativity among different demographics. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the cognitive benefits of video games and their potential to foster creative skills in higher education environments.
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Students who play video games with engaging, difficult in-game tasks may hone creative and critical thinking skills that are potentially transferable to academic and professional contexts.
“Similarly, another study found that students who play video games with engaging, difficult in-game tasks may hone their creative and critical thinking skills, potentially transferable to academic and professional contexts [41].”
From Health Benefits of Video Games in Adolescents and Young Adults (2026) · cites this paper as [41]
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- Authors
- Alwhaibi, R. M., Alotaibi, M. S., Almutairi, S. F., Alkhudhayr, J. E., Alanazi, R. F., Al Jamil, H. F., & Aygun, Y.
- Affiliations
- Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (SA)
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Inonu University, 44280 Malatya, Türkiye
- ORCID
- Venue
- Sustainability
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2024-10-21
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 20
- Pages
- 9104
- ISSN
- 2071-1050 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4403599788
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2
- FWCI
- 8.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- SSRN Electronic Journal (acceptedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Researchers Supporting Project (PNURSP2024R117)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Creativity in Education and Neuroscience
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Keywords
- video games, game engagement, creative thinking, university students, academic performance, creative problem solving, higher education, game genres
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