Does video games as a digital intervention improve the depression and loneliness of elderly people

Statement of the Problem: Considering the increase in human life and increased disorders such as depression and loneliness, especially in the elderly, many studies have been conducted on the emergence of new and affordable technology for the treatment of mental disorders. Among the innovative technologies, in recent decades, we have seen an increase in the use of digital interventions with the nature of the game in the treatment of mental disorders. Purpose: To review existing studies that examines the impact of video games on depression and loneliness in the elderly. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: This review study was conducted using the search engines on the google scholar, science direct, Scopus, Pubmed, Magiran, SID and Proquest databases from January 2007 to January 2022. Articles that had inclusion criteria were reviewed. Findings: Out of articles related to the subject, nine articles came up with a final review, of which three evaluated the impact of Nintendo wii’s games, 5 studies on the effects of exer game and a study of the effect of virtual reality games. Five studies examined the impact of video games on depression and four studies investigated their effect on loneliness. Most of these articles have a positive effect on depression and loneliness in the elderly. Conclusion & Significance: According to the results, video games improve depression and loneliness in the elderly. Most articles support the positive impact of these games on depression and loneliness in the elderly. Considering the positive impact of video games and the increased interest of the elderly in these games, it is recommended that video games be included in the daily agenda of the elderly, and given the greater impact of it in groups, the conditions for performing these games in groups should be provided.

Author(s): Samira Mohajer

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