Positive psychological intervention for anxiety, depression and coping in subjects addicted to online games

Abstract

BACKGROUND Addiction to online games is not uncommon. The patients usually refuse to take medications and present with affective symptoms such as anxiety, depression and negative coping styles. Psychological intervention based on positive psychology is a promising treatment for such patients. AIM To evaluate the effect of positive psychological intervention on anxiety, depression and coping in people addicted to online games. METHODS This self-controlled study included 89 people addicted to online games, who received treatment at Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, China in 2019. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale and Trait Coping Style Questionnaire were administered to evaluate the anxiety, depression and coping style among these people. Psychological intervention based on positive psychology was provided for 6 wk followed by another evaluation. The results were compared against those from the previous evaluation. RESULTS After 6 wk of psychological intervention, 89 people achieved a significant improvement in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale-24 scales. The score for positive coping style in Trait Coping Style Questionnaire was significantly improved, while that of the negative coping style decreased significantly ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Psychological intervention based on positive psychology alleviated affective symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, in subjects addicted to online games. Psychological intervention corrected negative coping style, thereby improving mental health.

The effect on mental well-being, life attitude and depression levels of positive psychology program applied to patients diagnosed with depression

“…In studies on the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions in different populations with mild and moderate depressive symptoms, it was reported that interventions significantly reduced depression (Bolier et al, 2013b ; Hernandez et al, 2018 ; Taghvaienia & Zonobitabar, 2020 ; Gao et al, 2021 ).…”

Digital competence as a protective factor against gaming addiction in children and adolescents: A cross-sectional study in Hong Kong

“…The existing literature also suggests that young people with gaming addiction are prone to affective symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and negative coping styles. 62 Moreover, functional neuroimaging studies suggest that gaming addiction might lead to over-connectivity of the default mode and executive control networks that may lead to psychiatric comorbidity. 63 Besides affective disorders, gaming addiction was also found to be associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD).…”

“…Unfortunately, gaming addiction/gaming disorder is difficult to treat, as medications might be ineffective in managing the addictions. Patients often refuse to take their medication 62 or have poor compliance with behavioural interventions. With the increasing use of digital technologies for gaming, it is essential to teach children and adolescents digital competence to reduce the risk of gaming addiction.…”

Multidisciplinary team collaboration impact on NGF, BDNF, serum IGF-1, and life quality in patients with hemiplegia after stroke

“…Each exercise mentioned above was practiced in 2 groups daily, with each group practicing 10 times. After each group completes the training, they rested for 1 minute, and the intervention period was 4 weeks; (IV) Psychological counselor: Psychological counselors can use the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) (11) to assess the patient's current anxiety state. For patients with anxiety, language can be used to guide them to express their anxiety, understand their physiological and psychological needs, encourage them to express their inner thoughts, and guide patients in relaxation training; (V) Nutrition support: The dietitian can evaluate the current nutritional status of the patient according to the NRS2002 Nutrition Risk Screening Scale (12), which includes three parts: recent weight change, food intake, and disease severity.…”