Psychiatrists' Perceptions of World of Warcraft and Other MMORPGs.
Video game use, particularly massively-multiplayer online games (MMOs) and massively-multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), has been a focus of considerable research in recent years. However, little is known regarding how mental health workers perceive patients and clients who report playing them. The present study examines whether psychiatrists play MMOs/MMORPGs and how they perceive those who play them. Psychiatrists (N = 48) at a tertiary care centre in Canada completed a questionnaire assessing history of playing video games as well as whether they associate such use with psychopathology. Only 36.7 % believed there was an association between psychopathology and MMO/MMORPG use. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada. eric.lis@mail.mcgill.ca.|McGill University Psychiatry Perceptions of Emerging Technologies Labs, Montreal, QC, Canada. eric.lis@mail.mcgill.ca.
Eric
E
Lis
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.|McGill University Psychiatry Perceptions of Emerging Technologies Labs, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Carl
C
Chiniara
McGill University Psychiatry Perceptions of Emerging Technologies Labs, Montreal, QC, Canada.|Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Megan A
MA
Wood
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.|McGill University Psychiatry Perceptions of Emerging Technologies Labs, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Robert
R
Biskin
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.|McGill University Psychiatry Perceptions of Emerging Technologies Labs, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Richard
R
Montoro
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011570:Psychiatry; D011599:Psychopathology; D012381:Role Playing; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*
MMORPGs; Psychiatrists; Role-playing games; Stereotypes; Video games; World of Warcraft