~ri -1 a"fflo N. PQngqr.

ihllri
11-l?>~R

Understanding the lives of professionals (Wang, DeMaria, Goldberg,

problem gamers: The & Katz, 2016). They have also been found
meaning, purpose, and to support student learnin\ by
influences of video gaming
stimulating their engagement in field
Jing Shi, Rebecca Renwick, Nigel E. Turner,
Bonnie Kirsh, observations (Hwang & Chen, 2017),

Volume '17, 2019, Pages 291-303, ISSN 0747-5632, improve visual-spatial cognition,(Spence

The popularity of playing video games & Feng, 2010), arithmetic, memorization,

has grown immensely over the past
decade. Approximately llialf of Ameri~
play v@eo gam~ on various electronic
Intro
devices while 10~ of those who play se]g
~ n!ioc_~ing a gamerjsomeone who
consistently plays video games and
identifies with the gaming community)
(Pew Research Centre, 2016). A growing
body of research has found positive uses
for video games (Ferguson, 2010),
including reducing flashbacks
leadership, and team functioning
(Thirunarayanan & Vilchez, 2012).
However, it is also known that\probl§s7
may arise when video game playing is
excessive. In Canada, a survey study NcQa1,red
r bf
using the Problematic Videogame Playing s.,rvc.y
(Tejeiro Salguero & Moran, 2002)
found that 9-4% of adolescent gamera
experience problematic gaming with 1.9%,
being described as having severe ,
problems (Faulkner, Irving, Adlaf, &

een e. ~i+s from posttraumatic stress Turner, 2014; Turner et al., 2012).
disorder (Holmes, James, Coode-Bate, & Although there is an ongoing debate
Deeprose, 2009), reducing chronic pain lnter,urtion~
regarding the inclusion of gaming
Cla,,i{ica\-iot\
(Jones, Moore, & Choo, 2016), and disorder in the.!£Q:u van Rooij et al., o4 Oi11q,es
training of health care 2018), it is generally understood that
1",9fec rvif h incl~~,· • .
P. . 1,__;., 119 !JJMl()J d1,1>rcier itt Ht ICD -/1.
rob/tA«fie "rtl1 lea,, l'lill'lf -\ci o~\-.en b~t 1, . ( / _1
b· . . . l!ltony t'Cl,U1Q
1.99er pri>b/t,,,.. It "'fl., 8°"'".J 11,lc!,clion f~ct½ CCJtJ'I C.\1(.!st severe
do"''ae fo 6<7r,eon,'s /if e
Import(;()\- { problem gaming is not necessarily ~al11imd§-often ep~ in that it may
10 Qck,,o..,\,cl,e "addicted" gannng.
·
.,J
appear and disappear quickly from one's

life (Rothmund, Klimmt, & Gollwitzer,

Problem gaming can be defined as aJ
2016).
persistent and recurrent involvement "¼'

video gaming that results in psychological t Gamers have been found to play for a

distress and functional impairment f variety of reasons. In a qualitative

I

(American Psychiatric Association, study, Snodgrass et al. (2014) found

2013; Shapira et al., 2003). Recent ~roblematic play was a response to lifE\f

longitudinal studies demonstrated str~ where using video games I con

re late
conflicting views of the stability of excessively was a diversion that lead toj

problem video gaming. A 3-year pro6lel11!1 In a survey of non-problem

longitudinal study conducted among MMORPG gamers, Yee (2006) found

adolescents in 5'!_ede1rfound:prooleiiil three overarching motivations-

sfud.ie& gaming'toig relatixely~stafile_over nm§ achievement, immersion, and a social

tropi c:11 ff ere11t
C01111¼ri,~ (Vadlin, Aslund, & Nilsson, 2018). A 5- component. Other stuclies with a small
t1bjo,-~eA
coritrorcl,'di" year longitudinal study among adults in percentage of problem gamers found
fc-'ll({s.

c.iiiadahad contradiaiiig:JiilcimM escapism/coping, mechanics, a social

from Vadlin et al. (2018) where itfouncl component, experiencing fantasy, and

obtaining in-game wealth/achievements

igam,1J11 (Thege, Woodin, Hodgins, & were motivations to gaming (King, Herd,

Williams, 2015). Furthermore, a & Delfabbro, 2018; Kuss, Louws, & Wiers,

correlational panel study of lGermaii 2012; Laconi, Pires, & Chabrol, 2017).

ia9Ql~tsJilsQ:found-that excessiw Although several studies have examined

 ,oblCJII 3Mers & ho1t!A
be -\\-it- prif'O'f ~1i~eck

gaming motivations, few have Polatajko, 2013, pp. 71-80). Boredom is a

intentionally sampled only problem lack of engagement in meaningful activity
gamers to obtain first-hand accounts. and consequently a lack of function.
How f.,,d,·•ofl'i I '"'F""'r"'nr
· · ..1. 1, linlt-eA to ~l,lc111•hc. -
1.1. Gaming as "occupation" and impact aruiiaiIDJ is described as a featiirifofJ
on function [~ ~ t l i Ucl&band the
111SIG."'0(APA, 2013; World Health
Occupations are everyday activities that
Organization, 2017). The importance of
people engage in that bring meaning and
functional impairment has also been
purpose to life (World Federation of ·
highlighted in recent debates regarding
Occupational Therapists, 2016). Humans
the disorder (Billieux et al., 2017). Studies
are naturally occupational beings who
have demonstrated thal fwtctionalf
need to use time in a meaningful and
impairment is present in problem1
purposeful way (Wilcock, 1993). ['h~
'gameii Functional impairment was also
activities contribute to identity, l
emphasized by gamers in a mixed-
motivation, and routinet CWasmuth,
methods study conducted at a video game
f Cra~tree~ Seo
. ti, 2014). The activity of
convention in the USA, in which gamers
I LrgRJ11fflg]as b.eerr.ctserimt~ ~ agreed that lfiiiltl'_ojijl;jmpmment:mw
&ar1i~ hG\S lfuiiandfiiei""'nmgfqractiyity (Rogers,
Serv~A (ffie.fopiijglrnt}mJblemati~ g~
Woolley, Sherrick, Bowman, & Oliver,
~) pr 1ftlQf'{
0

(Colder Carras et al., 2018). Among the

tccreq1ion"l 1 2017). It is particularly important to have 4
ao\-i~i\t ~ arissu:e,ireported were:
activities in life that offer choice and I
controCto prevent occupational ~ ~ e i r own needs~

deprivation (or boredom) (Townsend & ~ nst~ fies and a loss of interest in
H~,flJ the previous nobtiies,'activities (Colder
{recdo111 ot ch01t.('
. con
redt-Ct one's shes.,.
Carras et al., 2018). Several other studies
haveidentified'iffi&lucnvityJ swesJ1g
LWiiifa'iictschoi>I (Cole & Griffiths,
2007; Gentile, Lynch, Linder, & Walsh,
2004; Hastings et al., 2009; Hellstrom,
Nilsson, Leppert, & Slund, 2012).
Although the implications of functional
impairment in activities relating to
gamers' lives have some very practical
repercussions and are directly related to
well-being, directly addressing
function through the examination of daily
activities has generally not been the focus
of research studies.
1.2. Thematic anchors and study aims
Qualitative research focuses on obtaining
an in-depth understanding of a specific
set of experiences with in real-world
contexts,(Creswell, 2009; Mays & Pope,
2000). Hence, the social ecological model
as a guiding model for this study
demonstrates excellent compatibility with
a pragmatism worldview that was used to
guide this study. The social ecological
model provides a holistic conceptual
framework that human behaviors, Ofl f,0Pl111! .
·
environmental cond"1t1ons,
. and weII-be". mg/ .,-,~
are inter-related (Stokols, 1996). Applied
to problem gaming, it proposes that the
forces underlying the problem are not
solely based in the individual gamer but
also on.the interrelationship§_b~een
gamer and his/her surrounding_s.l
Examining factors outside of the
individual found reciprocal
relationships within family dynamics
where J!()Orer .()arental relationships were I ihc .lisc:~
associated_with increase probleIILgamingf •t ,5QJ"ldl'.S
+. pc:,,ono,I
and long-term problem gaming had rcla\ioul,irl
negative effects on the family (Schneider,
King, & Delfabbro, 2017). Furthermore,
a systematic review of longitudinal trends
with those who experienced Internet use
and problematic Internet use examined
issues occurring at the individual, peer,
 I

family, and classroom levels (Anderson, examin~ n"d:_ctl:fCIJttfits from

Steen, & Stavropoulos, 2017). This study problem gamers\Wftliout fii"jiiiifrom non-

found an interplay between these internal problem gamers. The aim of this study is

to gain a more complex understanding of

and contextual factors that moderate and
the activities in the daily lives of problem
individual's engagement in Internet use.
video gamers, particularly: 1) What
However, such studies group gaming with
activities are important to them? 2) What
other Internet-related activities such as
motivates gaming? 3) What supports/
social media use and online
constraints to engagement they
gambling. Snodgrass et al. (2 014) used a
experience in other life activities?
culturally-sensitive approach that found
I agree
"- that ~rob~m:•-~IB ~nacontinuum Reference
~ with_Qos1tive glay ex_Qenences7
Shi, J., Renwick, R, Turner, N. E., &
r Conclusion - - - - - -
rfhe social and environmental forces/ Kirsh, B. (2019). Understanding
associated with problem video gaming
the lives of problem gamers: The
need to be considered in combination
meaning, purpose, and influences
with individual ones 49 reveal a mor~

~ D!P~ picture of p..rnblem vickQ gamingJ of video gaming. Computers in

that the current literature has not yet
Human Behavior, 97, 291-303.
captured. Currently, alii111ijij:ni~~Iatio.n of

how problem gaming impacts the daily https: //doi.org/10.1016/

Prol,/e1>.
9""''/lj lives of gamersfis:l~ Moreover,
~qi bee,-, j .chb.2019,03.023
over looks,J there has been a la.ckc ilstudies that focug
{or 01 lon.9
time fii(fiiitctian"<tCCl!:tiuitie!t and aim to