Games for Emotional Well-Being: Identifying Elements of Gameplay for Recommendation

Abstract

Existing studies in psychology show that video games are an everyday entertainment medium that have successfully promoted people’s emotional and mental well-being in an accessible setting. The current study investigates what elements of video games players select that coincide with their affective and mental health–related needs and why, from the lens of reference services. By identifying what kinds of video game experiences can support or impact game players’ mental and emotional well-being, this paper aims to incorporate the findings to enhance future video game reference services in libraries that could promote communities’ mental and emotional well-being. Using semi-structured interviews with 25 video game players, major categories of positive video game experiences were