Case Study Analysis: The Impact of Video Games on Stress and Mood

This case study analyzes the effectiveness of casual video games in improving mood and decreasing stress, focusing on the research by Russoniello (2009). The study explores how video games can reduce stress and enhance mental well-being, contrasting with previous research that often emphasized negative impacts. The analysis includes a review of relevant literature, such as Dodge et al. (2012) and Jones et al. (2014), highlighting the role of video games in emotional stability and stress reduction. The methodology involved both physiological and psychological measures with 143 participants, mainly students and staff members. The findings suggest that playing certain video games can improve mood and decrease stress levels, supporting the hypothesis that video games can be a valuable tool for stress management. The case study also acknowledges limitations, such as the lack of age-related data and the focus on only three types of video games, while emphasizing the potential for future research in areas like autism, anxiety, and depression. The study concludes that video games have stress release value, and playing them can be a technique for improving mood and reducing stress, especially when good content is chosen.

Running head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Case study Analysis
Name of the Student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Introduction
Playing video games has long been considered to be negatively impacting the overall
health of individual. Majority of the researchers have focused on highlighting its
disadvantages and cons, instead of discussing about the advantages and benefits that it
provides. The main issue that the paper shall elaborate upon is the effect of videogames in the
process of reduction of stress and improvement of mood and mental health of individuals.
This paper shall elaborate on presenting a case study analysis on the case study: “The
effectiveness of casual video games in improving mood and decreasing stress” by
Russoniello, C (2009).
Background
Stress is an emotional and physical tension that affects the mind and body
deleteriously. The previous studies have only emphasized on the way video games have
induced stress and mental health issues. Effect of videogames on the reduction of stress and
improvement of mental health has been taken into account very recently. The case study is
based on the effectivity of the video games in decreasing the stress level and enhancing
mood. The author of the case study is Dr Russoniello (PhD in psychophysiology). He have
conducted a study using 143 participants in order to test whether or not the central and
independent nervous system be changed by 3 varieties of video games, which lowers down
the stress and improve the mood. According to Jones et al. (2014), there is a link in
between positive well-being and video games. Technology and stress related health disorders
might result in death and disability. This is why it is important to find out the ways of
preventing stress and its exacerbation (Porter 2017). As opined by jones et al. (2014),
technology and videogames plays important role in improving the mental health and the
overall well-being. The reactions towards diverse characteristics of the games are based on
the aim of the game and these reactions could be stressful and relaxing and could even be
exciting (Russoniello et al. 2009). Video gaming helps in aiding to psychological detachment
from the regular day to day stressors and ultimately results in relaxation, control and self-
efficacy (jones et al. 2014). The hypothesis on this issue is that playing videogames allows
reduction in stress level and improvement in mental health.
Literature Review
According to Dodge et al. (2012), well-being is the equilibrium and this means that
there is a strong balance among the limitations and resources. Videogames help in emotional
stability and prevents emotional disorders (Jones et al. 2014). Videogames advocate as a
means of stress reduction and relaxation by means of regular players. Both technology and
videogames play important roles in the process of improvement of health and mental well-
being (Jones et al. 2014). As per Kwun (2019), Video games have stress release value. As
opined by the Jones et al. (2014), playing video games assists in anxiety or clinical
depression and in promoting healthy aging. Individuals playing games have been reported as
“letting off steam” as a response to the issues with their parents or friends with the feelings of

2CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
frustration, anger and guilt dissipating after the time spend in playing game and this is leading
to the players being happier.
Furthermore, according to Granic, Lobel and Engels (2014), videogames is related to
the development and growth of skill acquisition in human beings. There is a strong link in
between video gaming and flourishing of mental health. A method of understanding the
mental and body impacts of games refers to the psychophysiological measures. In terms of
their nature, the designing elements in the video games, which are harmonised with the well-
being and that playing video games might develop a good mental health environment (Jones
et al 2014). As per the case study, moderate videogame playing contributes to the emotional
stability of an individual. It is also to note that video games surround by a stigma that they are
inherently bad from the mental health perspective. Future study is required on the effects of
videogame on conditions such as autism, anxiety, depression and other stress relating factors
like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Russonniello et al. 2009). Also, it is needed in
order to assess the physiological changes that take place at the time of game play for
determining if these changes are linked to the reported changes in the depression.
Method
Both Primary and secondary data is used in the case study. It made use of both
physiological and psychological measures, which were both valid and reliable. A study with
143 participants were conducted. These participants were students and staff members of
university (Russonniello et al. 2009). The data of 134 participants were included in the case
study. Furthermore, a statistical analysis was made in the case study for presenting a repeated
measure design in order to study the influence of diverse games on the variable and for
contrasting with the control groups.
The case study is one of the very rare studies that are focused on the productive impact of
video gaming on the mental health. Majority of the studies and reports are made on
discussing about its negative impact and highlighting the cons (Kuwun-Hei 2019). The
prevailing literature on video gaming has long been inconsistent and they are often focused
on aggression. This case study reflects the shift of attention on the possibility of the video
games improving the well-being and health (Scoot 2019). The level of stress and mood of an
individual is dependent on the choice of video games that they play (Goolkasian and Porter
2019). The study is based on the effectiveness of the video games in decreasing the stress
level and improving mood.
Discussion
The depressed and low mood of the gamers have been shown to be lower than that of the
ones who do not play video games (Jones et al. 2014). It is also to mention that the stress
assessment instructions and the video games’ content play a notable part in the emotional and
cardiovascular results. Playing some choice of videogames actually helps in improving mood
and reducing the stress (Russoniello et al 2009). The non-violent games that are casual in
nature actually helps in inducing the stress and they can improve the mental well-being and
life satisfaction of people as they provide a strong link in between the mental wellbeing and

3CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
the play and showcasing where the gaming is a source of relaxation and decrease of stress
(Jones et al. 2014).
Majority of the earlier studies in this field have highlighted negative influence of
videogames on human well-being. The present researches are proving with valid and strong
evidences that playing video-games actually have some positive effects that cannot be
ignored (Russoniello et al 2009. The stress related mental issues are universal and society
now have gained a better sense and encouraged to thrive and survive in better ways. Since the
time video-games have been proven to reduce stress, it needs to be used as a technique for
reducing the same for the people who suffer from stress and mental disorder to give them
relaxation. For improving the health care of children, video games are widely used in the
developed countries. Particularly, for the children who suffer from mental disorders, there are
many games that have been developed for the cause of treatment. Hence, it can be said that
video games would play a significant part in the future because with the advancement in
everything today, the culture of gaming is also continuously growing and is having positive
impact on people.
Limitations
Although the case study has been responded by the students and staffs of the university,
there age was not mentioned in the study. The effect of playing videogames differs from one
age group to other, i.e., from children to elderly. The main case study have focused on three
different types of video games only but there are more than that. So, the reliability of the
study is questionable. The impact of videogames sound on the psychological well-being of
the individuals, which indeed has a strong relation with the stress level and mental health,
was not assessed in the case study.
Conclusion
Hence, from the above analysis it is to conclude that Video games have stress release
value. The casual video games give stress relief. Video gaming could be used as a technique
for improving mood and reducing stress if good content of game is chosen. Playing video
games helps in anxiety or clinical depression and in promoting healthy aging. The case study
has proved that reduction of stress and improvement of mood in a person depend upon the
goal of the video game that is chosen to play. Furthermore, it is also to mention that the video
game content are enough explanation for the outcomes of the stress. Furthermore, it is also to
conclude that the mental health of the individuals who play video games is far better than the
ones who do not.
The research study has implicated that high knowledge of game result in stress-related
mental issues. Video gaming has the potential of improving the life satisfaction and the
mental well-being of the players and provides a link in between healthy mental wellbeing and
the play, showcasing where playing games is a source for relaxing and reducing stress. Hence
it is to mention that this research study’s findings support the hypothesis with some
physiological evidences. Notwithstanding these facts, there are certain challenges of the
studies that are highlighted and future studies are needed in those areas.

4CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
References:
Dodge, R., Daly, A., Huyton, J., & Sanders, L. 2012. ‘The challenge of defining wellbeing’.
International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(3), pp 222-235,
https://canvas.insearch.edu.au/courses/1103/files/319522?module_item_id=134995
Goolkasian, P & Porter. A. M 2019, Video Games and Stress: How Stress Appraisals and
Game Content Affect Cardiovascular and Emotion Outcomes, National Institutes of
Health, vol 10,issue 967, viewed 27 November
2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6524699/
Granic, I., Lobel, A. and Engels, R.C., 2014. The benefits of playing video games. American
psychologist, 69(1), p.66. https://doi.org/10.1037/a00348577
Jones, C., Scholes, L., Johnson, D., Katsikitis, M. & Carras, M. 2014,’Gaming well: Links
between videogames and flourishing mental health’, Frontiers in Psychology, vol 5,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3978245/
Kuwun-Hei, C 2019, Video gaming is a stress release valve and not a sign of mental
illness, ProQuest, pg 8, viewed 27 November 2019, https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/docview/2314052367/31321E76CDFA4746PQ/5?
accountid=170945
Mosqueda, A 2016, Modern Technological Stress Reliever, Proquest, viewed 4 December
2019, https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/docview/1823724429/77CA4A9143
2746EEPQ/46?accountid=17095
Porter, A. M 2017, Do Video Games Reduce or Induce Stress? The Effect of Challenge and
Threat Appraisals on Stress and Aggression when Playing Violent and Non Violent Video
Games, Proquest, viewed 8 December 2019, https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/docview/1885067482/8D516AB2806B4A46PQ/1?
accountid=17095
Russoniello, C.V, Kevin O’Brien, K & Parks, J.M 2009, The Effectiveness of Casual Video
Games in Improving Mood and Decreasing Stress, Journal of CyberTherapy &
Rehabilitation, Vol 2, Issue 1,
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carmen_Russoniello/publication/
289131468_The_effectiveness_of_casual_video_games_in_improving_mood_and_decreasin
g_stress/links/589b371492851c942ddac68d/The-effectiveness-of-casual-video-games-in-
improving-mood-and-decreasing-stress.pdf
Scoot, E 2019, The Link Between Video Games and Stress Relief, verywell mind
technology, viewed 8 December 2019, https://www.verywellmind.com/how-video-games-
relieve-stress-4110349