Anto Ailin, Basu Arunima, Selim Rania, Foscht Thomas, Eisingerich Andreas Benedikt
Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Department of Marketing, The University of Graz, Styria, Austria.
J Med Internet Res. 2024 Dec 17;26:e63760. doi: 10.2196/63760.
Open-world games, characterized by their expansive and interactive environments, may offer unique cognitive escapism opportunities, potentially leading to relaxation and enhanced well-being. These games, such as "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" and "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," allow players to experience a sense of freedom and autonomy, which can reduce stress and improve mental health. While previous research has examined the general impact of video games on mental well-being, specific studies on the effects of open-world games among postgraduate students are limited.
This study aims to investigate the relationships between cognitive escapism provided by open-world games and their effects on relaxation and well-being. The goal was to understand how the immersive nature of these games contributes to stress reduction and overall mental health improvement among postgraduate students.
A mixed methods approach was used, which involved in-depth exploratory qualitative interviews and a survey of 609 players of popular open-world games. Quantitative data were collected using standardized questionnaires to measure open-world games' affordance of cognitive escapism, relaxation, and well-being. Qualitative data were obtained through 32 in-depth interviews that explored players' experiences and perceptions of cognitive escapism, relaxation, and mental well-being.
Qualitative data (n=32; n=15, 47% female; n=16, 50% male; n=1, 3% preferred not to disclose gender; mean age 23.19, SD 2.19 y) revealed that cognitive escapism through immersive game worlds allowed players to temporarily disconnect from real-world stressors, resulting in enhanced mood and psychological well-being. Players indicated that the nonlinear gameplay and freedom to explore interactive environments provided a sense of relaxation and mental rejuvenation. Quantitative analysis (N=609) showed a substantial mediating role of relaxation in the relationship between cognitive escapism offered by open-world games and well-being. Specifically, cognitive escapism had a significant positive effect on players' relaxation (β=.15; SE 0.04; P<.001; 95% CI 0.0695-0.2331), which in turn had a significant and positive effect on players' well-being scores (β=.12; SE 0.04; P=.002; 95% CI 0.0445-0.2032).
The study demonstrates that open-world games offer substantial benefits for cognitive escapism, significantly improving relaxation and well-being among postgraduate students. The immersive and autonomous nature of these games is crucial in reducing stress and enhancing mental health. Future research may investigate the long-term effects of regular engagement with open-world games and explore their potential therapeutic applications for managing stress and anxiety.
开放世界游戏以其广阔且互动性强的环境为特点，可能提供独特的认知逃避现实的机会，从而有可能带来放松并提升幸福感。这些游戏，如《塞尔达传说：旷野之息》和《塞尔达传说：王国之泪》，让玩家体验到自由和自主的感觉，这可以减轻压力并改善心理健康。虽然先前的研究已经考察了电子游戏对心理健康的总体影响，但针对研究生群体中开放世界游戏效果的具体研究却很有限。
本研究旨在探究开放世界游戏所提供的认知逃避现实与它们对放松和幸福感的影响之间的关系。目标是了解这些游戏的沉浸式特性如何有助于减轻研究生的压力并改善整体心理健康。
采用了混合方法，包括深入的探索性定性访谈以及对609名热门开放世界游戏玩家的调查。通过标准化问卷收集定量数据，以衡量开放世界游戏提供认知逃避现实、放松和幸福感的程度。定性数据通过32次深入访谈获得，这些访谈探讨了玩家对认知逃避现实、放松和心理健康的体验与看法。
定性数据（n = 32；n = 15，47%为女性；n = 16，50%为男性；n = 1，3%不愿透露性别；平均年龄23.19岁，标准差2.19岁）显示，通过沉浸式游戏世界进行的认知逃避现实使玩家能够暂时脱离现实世界的压力源，从而改善情绪和心理健康。玩家表示，非线性游戏玩法以及探索互动环境的自由带来了放松感和精神恢复。定量分析（N = 609）表明，放松在开放世界游戏提供的认知逃避现实与幸福感之间的关系中起到了重要的中介作用。具体而言，认知逃避现实对玩家的放松有显著的正向影响（β = 0.15；标准误0.04；P <.001；95%置信区间0.0695 - 0.2331），而这又对玩家的幸福感得分有显著的正向影响（β = 0.12；标准误0.04；P =.002；95%置信区间0.0445 - 0.2032）。
该研究表明，开放世界游戏在认知逃避现实方面具有显著益处，能显著改善研究生的放松程度和幸福感。这些游戏的沉浸式和自主性对于减轻压力和增强心理健康至关重要。未来的研究可以调查长期参与开放世界游戏的长期影响，并探索它们在管理压力和焦虑方面的潜在治疗应用。
