title: Gaming well: links between videogames and flourishing mental health.
abstract: This paper is a review of the state of play of research linking videogaming and flourishing, and explores the role of videogames and technology to improve mental health and well-being. Its purpose is to develop understandings about the positive intersection of gaming and well-being, to document evidence regarding links between videogames and positive mental health, and to provide guidelines for use by other researchers as they design and use tools and games to improve mental health and well-being. Using Huppert's (Huppert and So, 2013) proposition that to flourish is more than the absence of mental disorder but rather a combination of feeling good and functioning effectively, resulting in high levels of mental well-being, and Seligman's (Seligman, 2011) PERMA theory of well-being, the paper identifies strengths in existing games that generate positive affect, positive functioning, and positive social functioning, contributing to, and supporting mental health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Arts and Business, University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Christian M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Arts and Business, University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scholes
authors.affiliation: Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Arts and Business, University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsikitis
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Carras
keywords: PERMA; Seligman; flourishing; mental health; videogames; well-being
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