The Mental Health Foundation have conducted a groundbreaking study on mental health and gaming. We were pleased to be part of an expert advisory panel to help steer the approach of the study.

The study looked at the experiences of video game players aged 16 to 60 over the course of 3 weeks, using a log to track their own gaming and mental wellbeing.

Participants noticed some positive effects of video games on reducing worry and anxiety, as well as providing social connections and escape from stress.

But they also noted some negatives, such as feeling frustration or anger, and games interfering with their other priorities. These issues were commonly associated with feeling a lack of control over gaming, such as playing longer than planned.

The participants were able to understand the link between their gaming behaviour and their mood, and make more considered choices about gaming. Tracking your gaming and mental wellbeing could be a useful way to see how video games affect you: you can try the gaming log here.

The study also invited participants to a workshop where they developed five recommendations for how the games industry can support their mental wellbeing:

1. Dealing with harmful online behaviours and toxic communities
2. Ensuring meaningful representation and diversity within games and in the industry
3. Embedding mental wellbeing content and services within games
4. Providing education and raising awareness of mental wellbeing
5. Helping players game healthily and intentionally, via design for wellbeing

You can find the full report along with key findings here.