Habits and Attitudes of Video Gaming and Information Technology Use in People with Schizophrenia: Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Background Information technology and video gaming have potential advantages in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, information regarding the habits and attitudes related to internet use and video gaming in people with schizophrenia is limited. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the habits and attitudes regarding video gaming and information technology usage and their associated factors in people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. Methods In this cross-sectional survey, service users with schizophrenia were recruited from 6 halfway hostels and 7 integrated centers for mental wellness in Hong Kong. A 79-item self-report questionnaire was utilized to explore the habits of internet use and video gaming in these people with schizophrenia. The attitude toward video gaming was assessed using the Gaming Attitudes, Motivations, and Experiences Scales. Of the 148 individuals in a convenience sample who were invited to participate in this study, 110 willingly participated (a response rate of 74.3%). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a two-tailed independent t test, Pearson correlation, and principal analysis with 3 methods of rotation (varimax, equimax, and promax). Results Most participants (100/110, 90.9%) had access to the internet and half of them (54/110, 49.1%) used the internet daily mostly to watch videos (66/110, 60.0%) or read news or books, etc (42/110, 38.2%). One-third of the participants (36/110, 32.7%) used the internet to play web-based games, and most of them (88/110, 80.0%) had played a video game in the past year. The most favorable gaming platforms were cellular phones (43/88, 49%) followed by computers (19/88, 22%) and arcade cabinets (6/88, 7%). The most favorable game genre was action games (34/145, 23.4%). Those who had a bachelor’s degree or higher scored lower in social interaction than those with a lower education level (P=.03). Those who played video games daily scored higher in the category of story than those who did not play daily (t86=2.03, P=.05). The most popular gaming category was autonomy and the least popular categories were violent catharsis and violent reward. Two motives, “social playing” and “evasive playing,” were formed to describe the characteristics of playing video games. Conclusions Our data showed a high internet utilization rate among people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. Only a few of them used the internet to search for health-related information. Our study also exemplified the unique habits of gaming among the participants. Health care professionals could utilize video games to engage people with schizophrenia and promote coping with stress and provide social skills training to such people with schizophrenia. Identification of the gaming attitudes can contribute to the development of serious games for the schizophrenic population. Further investigation is vital for the promotion of mental health through web-based platforms.

Why iPlay: The Relationships of Autistic and Schizotypal Traits With Patterns of Video Game Use

“…The association of positive schizotypal traits with Puzzle type games is consistent with previous findings that patients with schizophrenia rated puzzle-type games as one of their top three preferred game genres (i.e., board/card games) ( Choi et al, 2020 ). Surprisingly, contrary to the predictions made here, positive schizotypal traits were not related to more socially oriented or fantasy-based genres such as RPG or Social Simulation.…”

“…However, most studies have focused on action games, and no previous work has analyzed subclinical autistic and schizotypal traits (i.e., traits related to social cognition, neurodevelopment, and other phenotypes) together in relation to video game usage and preferences and their neurophysiological correlates. Such studies are important given the important roles of video games of diverse genres in human imaginative culture, and given that individuals with autism or schizotypy show some evidence of high rates of video game usage ( Mazurek and Engelhardt, 2013a , b ; Schimmenti et al, 2017 ; Choi et al, 2020 ; Menear and Ernest, 2020 ; Coutelle et al, 2021 ). This study thus analyzes how video game usage patterns, genre preferences, motivations, and reaction times are associated with measures of non-clinical autism and schizotypy.…”

Educational Technologies for Teaching Social Skills to Individuals With Schizophrenia: Scoping Review

“… Prikken et al (2019) identified the incorporation of interactive gaming features through a computer-based training program could help overcome amotivation among SZ as these elements were motivating and meaningful. Authors suggested that iVR and web-based gaming motivational features of being present in the simulated VE or gaming software could elicit emotional and motivational stimuli and foster the development of interpersonal skills in real-world situations ( Choi et al, 2020 ; Ku et al, 2007 ). Participants engaged more in the SST-VR group than the SST traditional role-play (SST-TR) group, which suggested that VR role-plays could increase motivation in SST ( Bisso et al, 2020 ; Park et al, 2011 ).…”

“…In addition, web-based games involve playing online games that use principles of errorless learning, positive reinforcement, and self-instruction. The games were designed to address SZ social cognitive challenges (Choi et al, 2020; Gülkesen et al, 2017).…”

Associations between digital media use and psychotic experiences in young adults of Quebec, Canada: a longitudinal study

“…Rather than a reflection of technology causing or exacerbating psychosis expression, the explanation may lie in technological preference among individuals with psychotic experiences. This multifactorial preference could be motivated for example by the fulfillment of psychological needs, such as leisure, social connections or self-efficacy, or by the avoidance of in-person social interactions [54][55][56].…”