Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31463073›Full record

ArticleDigital health

Mental health service users' and professionals' relationship with games and gaming.

Hanna Hopia, Marko Siitonen, Katja Raitio

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Perspectives of Australian healthcare professionals towards gamification in practice.Nutrition & dietetics : the journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Hanna HopiaSchool of Health and Social Studies, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyvaskyla, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-6480-875X
Marko SiitonenDepartment of Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
Katja RaitioSchool of Health and Social Studies, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyvaskyla, Finland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGames and elements of gamification can be utilized in mental healthcare to provide customized interventions for the service users. However, very little evidence exists as to what kind of experiences service users and professionals have towards games and gaming, and what their perceptions of the phenomenon are. This sort of information is needed to help professionals put game-based interventions actively into practice in mental health services. RESEARCH

objectivesThe objective is to describe the experiences and perceptions of digital games and gaming from the perspectives of mental health service users and mental health professionals.

methodsIn this qualitative study, data consisted of interviews of 23 mental health service users and professionals working in the mental health field. We conducted altogether 39 interviews. Sixteen of the participants were interviewed twice. Main categories and subcategories were identified using qualitative content analysis.

resultsThe analysis revealed four distinct orientations towards games and gaming: (a) compulsive gaming; (b) closet gaming; (c) gaming as a hobby; and (d) late bloomers. Each group was characterized by different personal histories, experiences, conceptions and attitudes regarding gaming and digital games.

conclusionWhen attempting to implement a game-based intervention in mental health services, it is essential to recognize the different attitudes that both service users and staff exhibit concerning games and gaming. The attitudes of service users and professionals described in this study can be utilized in the implementation of game-based methods as part of care and rehabilitation in mental health services.

Indexed as

game-based interventionGamificationgaminghealth professionalmental health servicesservice user

Identifiers

PMID31463073
PMCPMC6034349

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.