ArticleScientific reports2017
Pokémon GO and psychological distress, physical complaints, and work performance among adult workers: a retrospective cohort study.
Article in Scientific reports, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 40 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of mHealth Interventions Aimed at Promoting Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Behavior on Work-Related Outcomes Among Workers: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Motivational Factors, Physical Activity Impacts, and Sociopsychological Effects of Pokémon GO in Players Over the Years: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Developing an Empirical Theory of Planned Behavior Model of Healthy Dietary Choice and Evaluating Gamified Feedback Among Japanese Young Adults.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Unveiling the nexus of the relationship between multiplayer digital game-playing experience and workplace loneliness: a moderated serial mediation analysis.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Pokémon GO, Went, Gone…-Physical Activity Level, Health Behaviours, and Mental Well-Being of Game Users: A Cross-Sectional Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Systematic Review on the Impact of Mobile Applications with Augmented Reality to Improve Health.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- XR and mental wellbeing: state of the art and future research directions for the Metaverse.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Review
- Eye problems and musculoskeletal pain in Pokémon Go players.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- Commercial Off-The-Shelf Video Games for Reducing Stress and Anxiety: Systematic Review.JMIR mental health · 2021Review
- Effects of Pokémon GO on Physical Activity and Psychological and Social Outcomes: A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Review
- Pokémon GO! GO! GO! The impact of Pokémon GO on physical activity and related health outcomes.mHealth · 2021Article
- Scoping Review of Pokémon Go: Comprehensive Assessment of Augmented Reality for Physical Activity Change.Games for health journal · 2020Article
- Smartphone and video game use and perceived effects in a community mental health service.Irish journal of medical science · 2019Article
- Step Counts of Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults for 10 Months Before and After the Release of Pokémon GO in Yokohama, Japan.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Article
- Article
- On the Determinants and Outcomes of Passion for Playing Pokémon Go.Frontiers in psychology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The effects of Pokémon GO, a new mobile game application which utilizes augmented reality, on risky behavior and health have already been discussed in anecdotal evidence. However, there have been no studies about its effects on mental health. This study investigated the relationships between Pokémon GO and psychological distress from an existing workers' cohort in Japan. Online surveys were conducted to 3,915 full-time workers, at baseline (Nov 26, 2015-Feb 18, 2016) and at follow-up (Dec 1-4, 2016), using a self-report questionnaire. Pokémon GO players were defined as participants who had played Pokémon GO for one month or longer. Psychological distress was measured using validated scales. Of the completers, 246 (9.7%) had continued to play Pokémon GO. They were significantly younger than non-players. From the results of the general linear modeling, improvement in psychological distress was significantly greater among Pokémon GO players than among non-players (p = 0.025). Cohen's d for the difference in psychological distress was -0.20 (95% CI, -0.33, -0.07). Pokémon GO may be effective for improving psychological distress among workers. Although its effect size is small, the game could have positive effects on the mental health of the adult working population.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.