Currently accepted at: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jun 1, 2025
Date Accepted: Mar 4, 2026
This paper has been accepted and is currently in production.
It will appear shortly on 10.2196/78379
The final accepted version (not copyedited yet) is in this tab.
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Gaming the Mind - Mental Health in Video Games for Leisure: A Scoping Review of Game Design, Representation, Recovery, and Potential Impact – Protocol for a Scoping Review
ABSTRACT
Background:
Digital games are increasingly influential in shaping public perceptions of mental health due to their interactive and narrative nature. While serious games designed for therapeutic use have been studied, less is known about how mental health challenges are portrayed in mainstream video games for leisure and the impact of these portrayals on players.
Objective:
This scoping review aims to explore how mental health challenges are represented in contemporary video games for leisure, with specific attention to the role of game design, depictions of coping mechanisms, recovery and intervention, and potential impacts on players and public perception.
Methods:
The review follows the PRISMA-ScR methodology and applies the Population–Concept–Context (PCC) framework. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across six databases (PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, ERIC, IEEE, Web of Science) in July 2024. Eligible studies include peer-reviewed original research on the portrayal of mental health in mainstream digital games. Screening and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers using Rayyan and NVivo. Data synthesis will be narrative, focusing on themes of representation, game mechanics, recovery, and audience impact.
Results:
This is a protocol. Results will map the scope and nature of mental health portrayals in video games, identify thematic and design patterns, and summarize how scholars conceptualize the intersection of gameplay and mental health representation.
Conclusions:
By systematically mapping current literature, this review will contribute to a deeper understanding of how mental health is depicted in mainstream games and highlight areas for future research, including ethical considerations and opportunities for more informed, empathetic, and responsible game design. Clinical Trial: Registration: This protocol has not yet been registered. Registration (e.g., PROSPERO) is being considered.
Citation
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Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.