Problematic Gaming, Self-Compassion
Conditions
Brief summary
This study investigates the impact of self-compassion on reducing problematic gaming behaviors among young adults. Problematic gaming has been linked to anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction, and this study aims to assess how self-compassion can address these issues. The study explores the role of basic psychological needs and social anxiety as mediators in this process. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 308 online game players (M = 22.40, SD = 3.52), who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 194) or a waitlist group (n = 114). The intervention consisted of an online self-compassion program. Participants completed pretest, posttest, and follow-up questionnaires to assess the changes in self-compassion and problematic gaming behaviors. The results indicated that the intervention significantly increased self-compassion and reduced problematic gaming through the same mediating pathways of basic psychological needs and social anxiety. These findings suggest that self-compassion training may be an effective intervention for reducing problematic gaming behaviors among young adults, with implications for mental health interventions in gaming communities.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALPositive Self - 14-Day Online Self-Compassion Course
The Positive Self intervention is a 14-day online course designed to enhance self-compassion. The course includes 14 didactic videos (approximately 10 minutes each) on self-compassion concepts and applications, along with 14 guided audio meditations (approximately 6 minutes each). The meditation practice involves breathing meditation for the first 3 days, followed by 11 days of loving-kindness meditation. This intervention has been shown to effectively promote self-compassion in previous research.
Sponsors
Beijing Normal University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Individuals aged 18 years or older. * Any gender. * Recruited through online platforms. * No restriction on educational background. * Participants who regularly engage in online gaming and are willing to reduce or modify their gaming behaviors.
Exclusion criteria
* Individuals under 18 years old or those lacking full civil capacity. * Individuals with diagnosed psychiatric or psychological disorders. * Individuals without problematic gaming behaviors or without a clear intention to change their gaming habits.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in problematic gaming behavior score after 14-day self-compassion intervention | Baseline, post-intervention (Day 14), and one-month follow-up | Participants' problematic gaming behavior was measured with an eight-item questionnaire adapted from Yang and Zhou (2004), a scale with established reliability and validity in Chinese samples. To match the intervention context, the term video games in the original items was replaced with Genshin Impact while maintaining the original semantic meaning. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree; α = .82). Higher scores reflected more severe problematic gaming behavior. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in self-compassion score after 14-day self-compassion intervention | Baseline, post-intervention (Day 14), and one-month follow-up | Participants' self-compassion was measured using the 12-item Short Form of the Self-Compassion Scale (Raes et al., 2011). The validated Chinese version (Chen et al., 2011) was used in this study. Items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = almost never, 5 = almost always; α = .84). Six items were reverse-scored. Higher total scores reflected greater levels of self-compassion. |
| Change in basic psychological needs score after 14-day self-compassion intervention | Baseline, post-intervention (Day 14), and one-month follow-up | Participants' satisfaction of basic psychological needs was assessed using a 21-item questionnaire (Gagné, 2003; Liu et al., 2013). Items were rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree; α = .88). Nine items were reverse-scored. Higher scores reflected greater fulfillment of basic psychological needs. |
| Change in social anxiety score after 14-day self-compassion intervention | Baseline, post-intervention (Day 14), and one-month follow-up | Participants' social anxiety was assessed using the 17-item Social Phobia Inventory. Items were rated on a 5-point scale (0 = not at all, 4 = extremely; α = .82). Higher scores reflected greater severity of social anxiety symptoms. |
Countries
China
Outcome results
None listed