%0 Journal Article
%T Impact of Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games upon the Psychosocial Well-Being of Adolescents and Young Adults: Reviewing the Evidence
%A Jonathan Scott
%A Alison P. Porter-Armstrong
%J Psychiatry Journal
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/464685
%X Introduction. For many people, the online environment has become a significant arena for everyday living, and researchers are beginning to explore the multifaceted nature of human interaction with the Internet. The burgeoning global popularity and distinct design features of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) have received particular attention, and discourses about the phenomenon suggest both positive and negative impact upon gamer health. Aim. The purpose of this paper was to critically appraise the research literature to determine if playing MMORPGs impacts upon the psychosocial well-being of adolescents and young adults. Method. Initial searches were conducted on nine databases spanning the years 2002 to 2012 using key words, such as online gaming, internet gaming, psychosocial, and well-being, which, in addition to hand searching, identified six studies meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. Results. All six studies strongly associated MMORPG playing with helpful and harmful impact to the psychosocial well-being of the populations under study; however due to the methodologies employed, only tentative conclusions may be drawn. Conclusion. Since both helpful and harmful effects were reported, further multidisciplinary research is recommended to specifically explore the clinical implications and therapeutic potentialities of this modern, growing phenomenon. 1. Introduction There can be little doubt that the use of the Internet has become a significant aspect of modern living, bringing benefits to users in terms of access to information and flexibility of communication. Even so, certain aspects of Internet use are beginning to come under increasing scrutiny. Recently, the term Problematic Internet Use has been used to describe a syndrome of cognitive and behavioural symptoms that result in a wide range of negative consequences, including physical harm and psychosocial adversities [1¨C3]. Indeed there is a body of opinion suggesting that the term internet addiction should be included in the forthcoming fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders [4]. However, research suggests that individuals do not develop problems with the Internet in and of itself, but rather with the various activities it enables [5¨C7]. Despite the increasing pervasiveness and variety of online activities in adolescent¡¯s lives, little is known about any associated short- or long-term health implications of use [8]. Of particular interest are those activities which involve online community interaction, and
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/psychiatry/2013/464685/