A thematic analysis of bereaved adults' meaning-making experience of loss through playing video games

IntroductionRecalling personal memories on the loss and deriving new meanings from them is deemed necessary for adapting to bereavement. Recent studies suggest that games can afford players meaningful experiences that can support players through stressful life events, but its potential on the meaning-making of loss has not been much explored. To address this gap, we investigated the bereaved players' experiences of playing commercial video games that elicited their personal memories of loss and what meanings they derived from those experiences.MethodTwelve adult players with bereavement experiences (six male, six female, age range: 20-31) played two video games (Bear's Restaurant and Spiritfarer). Their experiences during and after gameplay were tracked via play diaries and in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis method.ResultsWe discovered seven themes on the meanings that players made from their gameplay experience: “Recalling memories”, “Avoiding engagement with the pain”, “Recognizing positive emotions”, “Acknowledging the deceased's perspective”, “Reviewing the meaning of loss”, “Planning a better future”, and “Fulfilling a wish”. Our findings indicate that bereaved players recalled and related their autobiographical memories to their in-game experiences. Furthermore, they derived new meanings on both the loss and their post-loss life after playing video games.DiscussionWe discuss how video games can provide a unique meaning-making experience to bereaved players by affording them an agency to actively reconstruct their narrative of loss and facilitating the sharing of grief

Classification of problematic Internet usage types by motives and contexts with elementary and secondary school-aged counseling clients

Background and aims Past research on the classification of problematic Internet use (PIU) has focused on symptom-based severity and usage motive in order to understand its mechanism. Recently, usage context, such as family or social relationships, has been identified as a key influencing factor of PIU. Therefore, we extended the classification of PIU to include usage context in addition to symptom-based severity and usage motive. Methods To classify PIU types, we conducted two studies. First, we performed a clustering analysis, where 265 counseling cases were clustered into usage types in terms of motive and context. After characterizing each usage type, we examined their hierarchical relationships by considering symptoms. Second, we performed a focus group interview with six counselors to increase the transferability of usage types. This transferability was established by matching counselors’ quotations to the usage types. When usage types showed consistency between quotations and the clustering analysis, we identified the progression patterns between hierarchical relationships. Results The clustering analysis of motive and context yielded six usage types with three hierarchical relationships. The focus group interview results verified the transferability of these six types and identified two progression patterns between the hierarchical relationships. Discussion and conclusion Although usage motive and context were given equal weight before the clustering analysis, the resulting types revealed that usage context played a greater role in the classification process

Flow on the Internet: a longitudinal study of Internet addiction symptoms during adolescence

Internet Addiction (IA) constitutes an excessive Internet use behavior with a significant impact on the user’s well-being. Online flow describes the users’ level of being absorbed by their online activity. The present study investigated age-related, gender, and flow effects on IA in adolescence. The sample comprised 648 adolescents who were assessed twice at age 16 and 18 years. IA was assessed using the Internet Addiction Test and online flow was assessed using the Online Flow Questionnaire. A three-level hierarchical model estimated age-related, gender, and online flow effects on IA symptoms and controlled for clustered random effects. IA symptoms decreased over time (for both genders) with a slower rate in males. Online flow was associated with IA symptoms and this remained consistent over time. Findings expand upon the available literature suggesting that IA symptoms could function as a development-related manifestation at the age of 16 years, while IA-related gender differences gradually increase between 16 and 18 years. Finally, the association between online flow and IA symptoms remained stable independent of age-related effects. The study highlights individual differences and provides directions for more targeted prevention and intervention initiatives for IA

The Effects of On-site Measured Ozone Concentration on Pulmonary Function and Symptoms of Asthmatics

Most studies on the effects of ambient ozone on asthmatics have been based on ozone concentration measurements taken by air monitors in downtown areas. Using a passive ozone sampler, we investigated the effects of on-site ozone concentrations on the pulmonary function and symptoms of asthmatics. Twenty moderate to severe asthmatics who had been managed for at least 2 months without changes of their medication were enrolled from 3 June to 18 July 2005. Respiratory, nasal and ocular symptoms, peak expiratory flow (PEF), which was measured twice a day, and medication use were recorded on a daily basis during the study period. Data for 17 subjects were analyzed. The average ozone exposure level was 28.2±23.6 ppb (3.4-315.3 ppb). There was no significant correlation between PEF and ozone concentration (p>0.05) on the same day or 1-, 2-, or 3-day lags. Interestingly, the degree of asthma symptoms was influenced by the ozone concentration (ρ=0.303, p<0.001), even at concentrations less than 80 ppb (p=0.298, p<0.001), but the correlation between ozone exposure and the frequency of reliever medication use was not statistically significant (p=0.99). Our results suggest that exposure to relatively low concentrations of ozone influences the symptoms of moderate to severe asthmatics regardless of changes in pulmonary function or medication use

Policy and prevention approaches for disordered and hazardous gaming and internet use: an international perspective

Problems related to high levels of gaming and Internet usage are increasingly recognized as a potential public health burden across the developed world. The aim of this review was to present an international perspective on prevention strategies for Internet gaming disorder and related health conditions (e.g., Internet addiction), as well as hazardous gaming and Internet use. A systematic review of quantitative research evidence was conducted, followed by a search of governmental reports, policy and position statements, and health guidelines in the last decade. The regional scope included the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea. Prevention studies have mainly involved school-based programs to train healthier Internet use habits in adolescents. The efficacy of selective prevention is promising but warrants further empirical attention. On an international scale, the formal recognition of gaming or Internet use as a disorder or as having quantifiable harms at certain levels of usage has been foundational to developing structured prevention responses. The South Korean model, in particular, is an exemplar of a coordinated response to a public health threat, with extensive government initiatives and long-term strategic plans at all three levels of prevention (i.e., universal, selective, and indicated). Western regions, by comparison, are dominated by prevention approaches led by non-profit organizations and private enterprise. The future of prevention of gaming and Internet problems ultimately relies upon all stakeholders working collaboratively in the public interest, confronting the reality of the evidence base and developing practical, ethical, and sustainable countermeasures

Visualization 1: In vivo photothermal treatment by the peritumoral injection of macrophages loaded with gold nanoshells

The xenograft tumor mass was illuminated using a NIR laser at an irradiance of 1 W/cm2 for 2 minutes Originally published in Biomedical Optics Express on 01 January 2016 (boe-7-1-185