The role of microtransactions in Internet Gaming Disorder and Gambling Disorder: a preregistered systematic review

Recently there has been increased interest in understanding the relationship between microtransactions, gaming, and gambling. This review aimed to synthesise the evidence on the relationship between microtransactions, ‘Internet Gaming Disorder’ (IGD), and Gambling Disorder in order to report on the: psychometric assessments used, sampling and demographic information, study design and sampling methods, relationships between microtransactions and both IGD and gambling disorder. Inclusion criteria included: refereed studies quantifying microtransactions and/or loot boxes examining their relationship with IGD and/or gambling disorder that were published between 2013 and 2021. Electronic databases were searched and the results were synthesised qualitatively. 14 studies were included. The quality of the evidence was ‘Good’ and clear positive relationships between microtransactions and both IGD and gambling disorder were identified. These relationships apply more to loot boxes than other microtransactions, and risky loot box use was identified as a possible mediator of these relationships. Additionally, microtransaction expenditure increased with the risk of gambling disorder. There is some evidence that adolescents who purchase loot boxes may be more at risk of developing gambling disorder. External validity is limited due to the cross-sectional nature of the evidence, the use of convenience sampling, and the predominantly Western samples resulting in non-representative samples. Prevalence rates of IGD and gambling disorder varied significantly across studies and were different to general prevalence rates. We conclude that there is a need to develop consistent methods for assessing IGD and microtransaction engagement in future research. Implications for policy-makers and future research are discussed

Mielenterveyskuntoutujien perheiden kokemuksia Tuetusta lomasta ja arjen haasteista

Opinnäytetyössämme selvitimme, mikä oli Tuetun loman merkitys lapsiperheille, joissa vanhemmat oireilevat tai sairastavat psyykkisesti. Selvitimme vanhempien kokemuksia Tuetun loman kehittämiseksi. Lisäksi selvitimme, minkälaista mielenterveyskuntoutujien perheiden arki on sekä millaista tukea he kokevat tarvitsevansa arjen haasteisiin. Teimme tutkimuksemme kvalitatiivisesti kyselyä, teemahaastattelua sekä piirustuksia/maalauksia käyttämällä. Kohdejoukkonamme olivat OMA ry:n Tuetulle lomalle 13.6.–16.6.2010 osallistuneet per-heet. Tutkimuksessamme keräsimme kyselylomakkeella tietoa seitsemältä vanhemmalta, haastattelulla neljältä vanhemmalta sekä piirustusten kautta kolmelta lapselta ja kolmelta vanhemmalta. Tutkimusaineisto analysoitiin teorialähtöisellä sisällönanalyysillä. Tutkimustulokset osoittivat, että Tuettu loma on hyödyllinen tukimuoto lapsiperheille, joissa esiintyy mielenterveysongelmia. Tuettu loma mahdollisti perheiden pääsyn lomalle niin taloudellisesti kuin voimavarojen suhteen, ja siten mahdollisti perheiden virkistymisen. Perheiden arki koettiin kuormittavana mielenterveysongelmien, taloudellisten vaikeuksien ja muiden perhettä rasittavien syiden vuoksi. Tutkimuksesta kävi ilmi, että perheillä oli käytössään useita eri tukimuotoja, mutta silti he kokivat tarvitsevansa tukea vielä edelleen lisää. Perheet olisivat toivoneet lomalta enemmän vertaistukea, eli OMA ry:n ryhmien yhteisiä kokoontumisia yhteishengen luomiseksi. Lisäksi perheillä oli loman ulkoisiin olosuhteisiin kehittämisideoita, esimerkiksi toiminnan sisältöön ja ympäristöön liittyen. OMA ry:n toimintaan oltiin yleisesti tyytyväisiä, mutta Tuettuja lomia sekä Iisalmeen suunnattua toimintaa kaivattiin lisää. Lapset kokivat loman mieluisaksi ja virkistäväksi niin piirustusten kuin vanhempien kertoman mukaan.The aim of our scholarly thesis is to find out what the meaning of supported vacations is for families with children, whose parents have symptoms of or have a mental illness. We also want to find out how those families would like to develop supported vacations. Our purpose is also to find out what the everyday life is like for those families as well as what kind of support they feel they need in surviving the challenges of everyday life. We did our research by using quality method using inquiries, theme interviews and drawings/paintings. Our target group were families who participated in the supported vacation which was organized by The National Family Association promoting Mental Health in eastern Finland between 13.6.-16.6.2010. For our research we collected information from seven parents using inquiries, from four parents using interviews and from three children and three parents using drawings. The data was analyzed by using theory oriented content analysis. The results of the research showed that a supported vacation is a useful form of support for families with children, in which mental health problems are prevalent. The supported vacation made it possible for families to get a vacation both from an economic and resources point of view and it made possible for the families to get recreation. The everyday life of families was experienced as being strained due to mental health problems, financial difficulties and other causes which strained the families. From the research it appears that families had a lot of various forms of support at their disposal but they still need more support. Families would have wished for more peer support from the vacation like more common meetings with The National Family Association promoting Mental Health in eastern Finland to create a communal spirit. Families also had ideas how to develop the external circumstances concerning the vacation, for example the content of the activity and surrounding. Generally families were satisfied about the activity of the vacation but the families would like to have much more of supported vacations and activity in the Iisalmi area. For children the vacation was pleasant and refreshing according to their drawings and what their parents told