Seeing Your Own Mind Playing Out on the Screen: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Video Games as Dynamic Coping Systems
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Whilst video games have shown their capacity to support coping during periods of personal difficulty, there remains a limited understanding of exactly how they scaffold these outcomes. Adopting a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach, this interview study explores the lived experiences of 17 players across three video games: Disco Elysium , Darkest Dungeon , and Stardew Valley . Drawing on the analysis, we propose the Games as Dynamic Coping Systems model, which illustrates a dynamic, recursive relationship between players, game aspects, coping mechanisms and coping outcomes. Our findings provide an in-depth account of the distinct ways in which different games can support coping. The study contributes a theoretical framework that enriches our understanding of gaming as a valuable form of coping during difficult life experiences.
DOI: 10.1145/3831326
Institution: University of York
Language: English
Topic: Digital Games and Media
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7214873445