eSports Participation among Hong Kong Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The HK Special Administrative Region Government has been making efforts to promote active aging among older adults. This qualitative study is aimed at gaining an understanding of the perception of and experiences in eSports among middle-aged and older adults in HK, China, using the Theory of Planned Behavior. Thirty-nine adults aged >45 years were stratified by (a) whether they had experience of participating in eSports and (b) age (i.e., 45–64 years vs. ≥65 years). In addition, 10 administrators working in community centres for middle-aged and older adults were invited for a semistructured interview. The results revealed the pertinent themes of (a) behavioral beliefs (physical benefits (enhanced physical activity levels, body coordination, and cognition), social benefits (increased interactions and team communication and enlarged social circle), psychological benefits (stereotype breaking, sense of recognition, enjoyment, and improved mood), and adverse health effects (psychological intensity, frustration, obsession with winning, overuse strain, and sleep disturbance)), (b) normative beliefs (support and encouragement from family and nonfamily members), and (c) control beliefs (game content, program personnel attitude, resource availability (venue, equipment, and manpower), administrators’ perspectives, and support from the industry). The study results will be instrumental to the development of related interventions and instruments for middle-aged and older adults, will enable researchers to explore the benefits of eSports programs for the studied population, and will promote healthy and active aging in the long term.

Designing an eSports intervention for middle-aged and older adults in Hong Kong: Social marketing approach

“…All interviews were conducted in Cantonese by the principal investigator (woman) and a research assistant (man), who were both trained in qualitative research methods, including interviewing. The interviews were based on a standard set of questions used in our previous eSports-related study [ 10 ] that had undergone pilot testing with five middle-aged and older adults. Probing questions were asked to deepen the conversation, extract key information, clarify certain matters, and use time efficiently [ 34 , 35 ].…”

“…In 2018, Acer and Senior Citizen Home Safety Association held an eSports activity for older adults in HK that benefitted the participants’ health and strengthened their relationships with their families [ 8 ]. Although some studies have revealed associations between eSports and adverse health outcomes such as sleep disturbance [ 9 , 10 ], overuse strain [ 10 ], obesity [ 11 ], behavioral problems [ 12 ], sedentary behavior [ 13 ], and high levels of stress [ 14 ], others [ 10 , 15 ] have indicated that eSports can benefit physical [ 10 , 16 ], psychological [ 10 , 17 ], and social health [ 10 , 18 ]. Leung and her team also did a pilot study to examine the impact of an eight-week eSports intervention (using Fitness Boxing, Nintendo Switch) to improve the psychosocial health, physical and cognitive functions of 54 healthy older adults in 2021.…”

“…Using the TPB, Leung and Chu. [ 10 ] identified the behavioral, normative, and control beliefs of middle-aged and older adults in HK participating in eSports.…”

Parental support in esports through the lens of the theory of planned behaviour

“…The determinants of intention impact the individual's intentions towards the behaviour which in turn impacts the behaviour. The theory has been successful in explaining and predicting behaviours in a wide array of domains such as physical activity ( 17 ), esport ( 19 ) and smoking ( 20 ). TPB is grounded in the target behaviour, which is influenced by the strength of an individual's intention toward that behaviour.…”