Evaluation of a multicomponent positive psychology program to prevent gaming disorder and enhance mental wellness in primary pupils: A randomized controlled trial

Cheng, Cecilia and Li, Shuo and Chen, Si (2024) Evaluation of a multicomponent positive psychology program to prevent gaming disorder and enhance mental wellness in primary pupils: A randomized controlled trial. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL ADDICTIONS, 13 (3). pp. 871-883. ISSN 2062-5871 (print); 2063-5303 (online)

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Abstract

Background and Aims Gaming disorder (GD) is a prevalent and complex issue that has recently been recognized as a condition that impairs mental health, underscoring the urgent need for early prevention measures. This evaluation study examined the effectiveness of the Digital Netizen Alliance (D.N.A.) program, a new multicomponent positive psychology program for preventing GD and bolstering mental wellness among Chinese children. Methods Drawing on gamification and positive psychology principles, the program builds four key positive skills collectively referred to as the P-A-G-E framework: psychological resilience, active coping, growth mindset, and emotion regulation. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 264 primary school pupils attending fourth, fifth, or sixth grade in Hong Kong (63% female; mean age = 10.83, SD = 1.18). Results The findings revealed that participation in the program effectively promoted active coping, a growth mindset, and emotion regulation. Moreover, program participation alleviated GD symptoms and reduced negative affect. These desirable changes were fully explained by the P-A-G-E framework. Discussion and Conclusions The new D.N.A. program, which cultivates the positive psychology skills specified in the P-A-G-E framework, facilitates favorable psychological changes among children. These results emphasize the importance of using multicomponent frameworks for interventions targeting GD prevention.

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