Investigating the Well-Being Potential of Digital Play Experiences for Children (Poster 27)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Nine
  In Poster Session: Learning With Games and Virtual Reality

Abstract

Digital game play can have positive effects on learning and cognition, promotion of health and exercise, and behavior change. Time spent in digital play is also found to increase players’ wellbeing. Our study investigated whether casual games can provide game play experiences that have the potential to enhance a child’s wellbeing. Through observations of players’ in-game actions, video coding of players’ behaviors during the gaming sessions, surveys, and interviews we identified in-game activities that have the potential to enhance players’ competence, agency, relatedness, curiosity, optimism, and relaxation. Results provide initial evidence for the wellbeing effects of the specific games we investigated and identified their wellbeing profiles, and confirm findings of previous research on the wellbeing potential of digital games.

Authors

• Yuli Shao, New York University
  Presenting Author

• Fabian Froehlich, New York University
  Presenting Author

• Russell Miller, Brooklyn College - CUNY
  Non-Presenting Author

• Danny R. Pisari, Graduate Center - CUNY
  Non-Presenting Author

• Meagan Kathleen Bromley Henry, EDC Center for Children and Technology
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bruce D. Homer, Graduate Center - CUNY
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jan L. Plass, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author