Violent Video Games and Symptoms of Distress and Trauma

<p>Much of the research involving detrimental effects of violent video games has focused primarily on aggression and desensitization of pain. To date there is no known research that examines whether video games can cause traumatic symptoms. However, there is research that suggests horror movies cause traumatic symptoms (Carleton et al., 2011). Given that video games can immerse people far more than a movie in terms of active participation, one could infer that traumatic symptoms would be even greater when playing a violent video game. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether violent video games could elicit symptoms related to distress and trauma (e.g., feelings of involvement and presence, anxiety, aggression, stress, and peritraumatic dissociation) and to examine whether there were gender differences in the reported levels of symptoms. One hundred and twenty participants played either a violent or nonviolent video game and completed self-report measures of distress and trauma. Results were inconsistent with previous research suggesting that violent video games increase symptoms of distress and trauma in males. However, results do indicate that females have an increase in state anxiety, aggressive affect, acute stress and peritraumatic dissociation when playing violent video games. Methodological, theoretical, and practical implications are explored.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• McCollum, Brendan J

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jeff Klibert, Ph.D.
• Janice Steirn, Ph.D.

• ETD
• violent video games
• distress
• trauma
• aggressive affect
• state anxiety
• peritraumatic dissociation
• Social Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/907

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1930