Gaming in the moment: A real-time study of gaming and affective wellbeing among Swedish adolescents

Abstract

Although digital gaming is a widespread leisure activity among adolescents, current perspectives, largely informed by cross-sectional studies, often portray it as a risk factor for psychosocial problems and poorer well ‑ being. Yet, little is known about how gaming unfolds in adolescents’ daily lives, including its situational contexts, motivations, and real-time affective well ‑ being. In this study, 211 Swedish adolescents (aged 16–19 years; 69% female) completed experience sampling surveys five times daily over 14 days to examine their digital gaming behavior, motivations, and moment-to-moment associations with affective well ‑ being. The data showed that more male than female adolescents reported gaming, with on average 7.8 gaming sessions (0.56 per day). Participants reported gaming mostly alone or with known peers, more often in the evenings than in the mornings, and primarily for recreational purposes. Within-person analyses revealed that moments following gaming were associated with increased positive affect, with no significant link to negative affect. These findings challenge concerns about gaming’s negative mental health impacts and suggest that, for many adolescents, gaming can serve as a healthy and enjoyable leisure activity that temporarily boosts mood. Future research using larger samples and denser time-series data may better capture how gaming affects adolescents differently across individuals and contexts.