Speaker
Speaker Info
- Name
- Dylan Arnold
- Organization
- Abertay University
- Country
- Scotland
- Biography
- Dylan Arnold is a graduate student with a First-Class Honors BDes in Game Design and is currently pursuing a PhD in Applied Games at Abertay University. With over six years of experience in game development, Dylan transitioned to Applied Games to explore the transformative potential of games beyond entertainment, particularly in the Health and Education sectors. His current research focuses on the relationship between digital video games and mental health, investigating their potential as tools for mental health maintenance and improvement. Passionate about both tabletop and digital gaming, Dylan combines his deisexpertise and academic curiosity to contribute to the growing field of Games for Health. He aims to bridge the gap between recreational gaming and its practical applications, demonstrating the positive impact games can have on mental well-being.
Photo
- Photo
Presentation Info
- Title
- Utilisation of Games for Good: Towards a Deeper Discussion
- Summary
- I carried out a qualitative study that examined the complex relationship between university students and their use of games as a mental health management tool through the use of Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Students were required to play around 20 hours of gaming per week or more as a prerequisite, and they completed an additional depression questionnaire, known as the CES-D (Centre for Epidemiological Study of Depression) Scale. The interviews were used in conjunction with the depression scale results to assess each student’s use of games as a mental health management tool, as well as a lens through which we could view the social and ecological factors that influence how and why students utilise games the way they do. One of the key takeaways was that it was incredibly difficult to assess the efficacy of games as a management tool as all students, bar one, had no memory of taking a break from gaming for longer than a few weeks. The depression scale scores varied greatly, with one of the students with the most positive mental health playing an average of 50 hours of gaming a week, whilst also still attending full-time education. Additionally, gaming was often socially motivated, with students spending a vast amount of their game-time with friends. When investigated further, students often reported that single player gaming was the preferred “way-to-play” and that competitive online multiplayer, and the expectations involved in this type of gaming, often lead to detrimental health repercussions.
- Keynote
- Presentation
- GFHEU Year
- 2026
Info
- Info