Gaming Activity and Possible Changes in Gaming Behavior Among Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Online Survey Study.
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Claesdotter-Knutsson E, André F, Håkansson A
JMIR Serious Games - (-) - [2021-11-13; online 2021-11-13]
Young people's daily lives and social interactions changed remarkably during the COVID-19 pandemic as schools and cinemas closed, leisure activities were cancelled, and gatherings were regulated. Questions have been raised by the media, schools, policymakers and research communities about the effect on young people's online behaviors. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to study self-reported changes in gaming, focusing on a younger section of the population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden. We also wanted to look at potential risk factors behind problematic gaming during the pandemic, including gaming patterns, gambling behavior, psychological distress, certain sociodemographic characteristics, health factors, and school situation. This was an anonymous online survey study of web panel participants in Sweden (N=1,501) to study changes in gaming behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-reported increases in gaming were analyzed in logistic regressions against sociodemographic and health factors. Within the whole study population that reported changes in gaming activity we found significant differences in age, employment status, disposable income, whether they ever played on loot boxes, time spent at home, school attendance, psychological distress, gambling and gaming problems, and significant differences in changes in alcohol consumption and changes in exercise habits. When examining the age group 16-24 years old that reported changes in gaming activity, we found significant differences within the group in disposable income, time at home and school attendance. When examining the age group 25-39 years old that reported changes in gaming activity, we found significant differences within the group in employment status, disposable income, time spent at home, whether the respondents are studying, school attendance level, psychological distress, gaming problems, as well as significant differences in changes in alcohol consumption and changes in exercise habits. Psychological distress (all age groups analyzed together; age group 25-39 years old), drinking less alcohol (all age groups analyzed together), spending more time at home (all age groups analyzed together), gaming problems and exercising less (age group 25-39 years old) were positively correlated to a self-reported increase in gaming activity. Being employed (age group 25-39 years old) and being over 40 years of age (all age groups analyzed together) were negatively correlated to increased gaming. We found no significant correlations in the age group 16-24 years old. Those who reported increased gaming during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to be 16-39 years old. In the age group 25-39 years old the increase was associated with psychological distress, reporting less exercise and being unemployed. COVID-19 may present a risk factor of increased online gaming in a small but vulnerable group. More research and preferably longitudinal studies are needed in the field of gaming and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Topics: Register-based research
PubMed 34817386
DOI 10.2196/33059
Crossref 10.2196/33059