Exploring the relationship between digital gaming and students' psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic

The main aim of this study was to determine the effects of violent versus non-violent digital gaming on the psychological wellbeing of students following the COVID-19 lockdown. 114 students from the University of Pretoria were divided into three groups, namely violent gamers, non-violent gamers, and the control group. The participants completed an online questionnaire consisting of a biographical questionnaire; the PERMA-Profiler, meaning and accomplishment; and the State-trait Personality Inventory Form Y (STPI-Y), which measured state and trait anxiety as well as state and trait depression. The results of the MANOVA, accompanied by a follow-up ANOVA indicated significant differences between the groups on the state anxiety subscale. Lastly, a standard multiple regression analysis indicated that state pepression and trait depression were significant predictors of wellbeing. The results of the study indicated that engaging in gameplay resulted in higher levels of psychological wellbeing when compared to those who did not engage in gameplay during the time of the study.