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A Narrative Review on the Mechanisms of Video Games Affecting Minors’ Mental Health
- 1 School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The minors’ engagement with video games has become a global phenomenon. Meanwhile, in relevant research and psychological health interventions, the impact of video games on minors’ mental health has been confirmed to exist, and the impact is significant for their development. Based on existing findings, this study will analyze the mechanisms through which gaming behavior affects adolescents' mental health. From the perspective of how the impacts on the minors present, the articles that author reviewed can be categorized into three main themes regarding the mechanisms of affects: Mechanisms of Negative Impacts, Protective and Mitigating Factors, and Cultural and Demographic Variations. The study shows that video gaming’s impact on adolescent mental health is shaped by intricate interactions between individual behaviors, social contexts, and cultural influences. Emotional dysregulation and social withdrawal resulting from Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) can lead to significant risks. Appropriately designed gaming interventions can promote the minors’ mental health, enhancing emotional regulation and cognitive abilities.
Keywords
Mental heath, Children, Adolescents, Minors, Video games
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Cite this article
Liu,D. (2025). A Narrative Review on the Mechanisms of Video Games Affecting Minors’ Mental Health. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,86,34-39.
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