O papel dos videojogos na regulação da ansiedade

Abstract

Currently, the use of video games transcends the realm of entertainment and has been assuming a prominent position in the field of health. In this context, a hypothesis has been raised that certain video games may impact players' anxiety regulation. To assess this effect, three distinct video games were administered, two of which had previously been the subject of investigations in the literature (Bejeweled 2 and Tetris), while a third one, called Energy, was introduced as a novelty. For this study, a protocol based on the Trier Social Stress Test was developed with the aim of inducing stress in participants to observe the impact of the three games, using both a self-report measure of perceived stress and an objective measure of heart rate. According to the results of the self-report measure, the game Energy has a significant impact on participants' anxiety levels. However, in terms of heart rate change, there were no significant differences during the stress-inducing task and the test game. The self-report measures recorded using STAY-Y1 and STAY-Y2 in the pre-laboratory phase did not show statistical significance. It can be concluded that participants report a reduction in perceived anxiety when playing the test game, but this does not manifest in the physiological data concerning heart rate changes. The decrease in perceived anxiety was not found to be influenced or predicted by participants' trait or state anxiety.

Date of Award	14 Nov 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Oliveira-Silva (Supervisor)