JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Game-based digital mental health interventions deliver therapeutic mechanisms of action using video games as a medium, making them distinct from traditional psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies. Mental health professionals’ (MHPs) views influence the adoption of such novel treatments, but their perceptions have yet remained underexplored.

Objective:

This qualitative study investigates how MHPs view video games and gaming, aiming to inform the design and implementation of game-based digital mental health interventions.

Methods:

We combined three qualitative interview datasets (n = 19, n = 16, n = 6) capturing Finnish MHPs’ views on video games, and analyzed the data (n = 41) using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). Additionally, two post hoc analyses were conducted with complementary qualitative questionnaire data (n = 80) collected alongside the first dataset.

Results:

RTA generated three themes. 1) Personal recreation, clinically harmful. MHPs’ personal gaming experiences were largely positive, while their clinical encounters often linked gaming to problems. 2) Adverse technology and meaningful culture. MHPs framed gaming as both a potentially harmful technology and a significant cultural phenomenon. 3) Holistic exploration of clients’ gaming. MHPs evaluated gaming within the broader context of clients’ lives, identifying two courses through which gaming could evolve into a problem: from connection to loneliness and from comfort to avoidance. The first post hoc analysis reinforced the observed self-client attitude asymmetry, and the second described the benefits MHPs expected from game-based interventions and for whom.

Conclusions:

MHPs’ views on video games reflect self-client attitude asymmetry, conflicting frames, and holistic exploration, revealing tensions that extend beyond a simple positive-negative spectrum. Addressing these nuanced perceptions may support the effective design and implementation of game-based digital mental health interventions.