title: More than Just a Game? Combat-Themed Gaming Among Recent Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
abstract: This article examines recent combat veterans' experiences of "first-person shooter" (FPS) gaming and its relationship to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Current PTSD treatment approaches increasingly use virtual reality (VR) technologies, which have many similarities with FPS games. To explore these similarities, this article presents six case studies from recently separated veterans in New York City who reported both current PTSD symptoms and regular use of combat-themed FPS games. In open-ended interviews, participants discussed a range of benefits as well as the importance of regulating use and avoiding particular contextual dimensions of gaming to maintain healthy gaming habits. Findings demonstrate the need for more comprehensive study and dissemination of best-practices information about FPS gaming in the context of combat-related PTSD symptomatology.
authors.affiliation: 1 Military/Veterans Health Studies Group, National Development and Research Institutes , New York, New York.
authors.forename: Luther
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: 1 Military/Veterans Health Studies Group, National Development and Research Institutes , New York, New York.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golub
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont , Burlington, Vermont.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: 1 Military/Veterans Health Studies Group, National Development and Research Institutes , New York, New York.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000069581:Exposure to Violence / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D009519:New York City; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D018910:Video Games / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*