Playing online videogames-more than just entertainment? A qualitative study of virtual social participation in persons with spinal cord injury.
R Nilsen, T Johansen, M Løvstad and 1 others
PMID 38818410WHAT IT FOUND
Seven men with spinal cord injury said online videogames helped them stay in touch with friends and family when physical barriers stopped face-to-face contact.
They preferred meeting in person, but called gaming better than no social contact.
Key findings
01Participants described online videogames as an alternative way to socialize when physical and mental barriers made face-to-face contact difficult.
02Healthcare professionals during hospital admissions put little focus on encouraging videogames as a way to keep in touch with family and friends.
03Most participants preferred face-to-face meetings, but said virtual gaming through videogames was far better than no social contact when meeting in person was not an option.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only seven men took part, all of them already used online videogames socially, so their views may not represent women, older adults, people with different levels of spinal cord injury, or people who do not game. The study used one focus group interview, and the authors said they would have preferred more than one focus group. Recruitment happened during the pandemic, when hospital admissions were lower and social restrictions were in place, which may have shaped both who took part and what they said. The researchers did not systematically check whether gaming was causing unhealthy effects.
Declared interests
The study was partially funded by the Norwegian Occupational Therapy Association, and the authors declared financial support for the research, authorship and publication.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that online videogames improve mental health or should replace face-to-face social contact. The study interviewed seven men who already used videogames socially, asked about their experiences, and participants said face-to-face contact was better when possible.