Tagged With "digital wellness"
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Welcome to new members and some orientation information
A warm welcome to all new members, and a big hello to all those who have been part of the subgroup for a while. To introduce myself, my name is Anita Corsini and I recently joined the Gambling, Gaming, and Technology Use (GGTU) team here at CAMH. Part of this new role will involve facilitating conversation on this online subgroup, as well as organizing other knowledge sharing activities relevant to researchers and practitioners in the field of gambling, gaming, and technology use. Please do...
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What will you takeaway from the GGTU Virtual Forum?
Welcome to any new Community of Interest members who joined us recently! Our first ever online Gambling, Gaming, & Technology Use (GGTU) Forum - GGTU in a Virtual Landscape: Prevention, Effectiveness, and Adaptations - ended yesterday. We were incredible fortunate to have such an incredible line-up of speakers and thought-provoking presentations. Our Closing Keynote speaker, Dr. Sally Gainsbury, asked us all to consider, " What are your organizational and personal goals for 2021 and...
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Re: Research/Stats on Professional Gamblers and their income
Hi Shannon, This article we published in 2013 is dated but has information income from a small US sample of professional gamblers. I hope it helps. It's a starting point. Jeremiah
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Podcast recommendation: Digital wellness, tech use and video game addiction
Hi folks, I'm hoping to share interesting resources each week on the topic of problem tech use and digital wellness. This week, one of my favourite podcasts tackled this topic along with problem gaming. It's about a 45-50m listen, perfect for a socially distanced walk or to help you get through the weekly chores: https://open.spotify.com/show/3YJVMZhsHlrQq3PKf6p7mo Description: Nadja Streiter, LMSW is a psychotherapist and parent coach, as well as Director of Programs at Game Quitters. She...
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Assessing gaming disorder: Expert opinions
Gaming disorder can be difficult to assess, as there are concerns about over pathologizing normal or potentially healthy behaviours. A new study surveyed 29 international experts until consensus was reached about useful criteria for assessing gaming disorder. This study helps clinicians with creating their own assessments to ensure they're looking at the most relevant features in their assessment to target as well as ensure they're not problematizing less relevant features. An interesting...
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Mindfulness and problem gambling treatment.
A few years ago, problem gambling clinicians in Ontario began introducing mindfulness groups to clients as they felt that they could benefit from cultivating greater awareness of their thoughts and emotions while detaching from and not giving in to them. This practise is particularly relevant to people with gambling problems who tend to hold incorrect or erroneous beliefs about the nature of random chance (Toneatto et al., 1997; Turner, 2006) and engage in automatic thinking before, during...
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Mindfulness-based relapse prevention for problem gambling manual
In Ontario, treatment for people with gambling problems was first implemented in 1995, in response to the opening of the province’s first commercial casino in Windsor. With extensive clinical experience and excellent research since then, knowledge about what constitutes effective treatment has been growing, but no one approach suits everyone. Treatment services have instead tended to adopt an eclectic and holistic approach, incorporating a biopsychosocial-spiritual model that draws on...
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Re: Movies on problem gambling, gaming & tech use
Amazing @Registered Member! Thank you so much, I have already downloaded a copy (and attached here in case others are curious to check it out). Also, I would welcome an updated article.
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Re: Movies on problem gambling, gaming & tech use
very cool @Registered Member. I will dig those up as well.
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Re: Mindfulness-based relapse prevention for problem gambling manual
Thank you so much Wayne and very nice to hear from you. I hope you are keeping well. Kind regards, Peter
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Re: Gaming and Youth - Health Matters
It's an interesting question - I did a bit of digging and found some papers that mention it, however there's limited empirical evidence actually suggesting or examining this area from what I can tell. A recent review about internet gaming disorder (IGD) as an emergent health concern for men by Chen and colleagues (2018) discusses eye strain. However when you look at the refence they cite a Young paper from 2009 , that discusses it's something to look out for without any citation or empirical...
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The Inventory of Gambling Situations (IGS) for working with clients with gambling problems.
The IGS is an excellent tool that counsellors can use when working with someone with a gambling problem. Here are some of the benefits of using it: It’s a well validated assessment tool. It is based on the idea that excessive gambling is a result of learned behaviour and therefore can be changed Provides insight into client’s specific gambling pattern and the situations that are most likely to lead to problem gambling behaviour Although developed from a CBT perspective, the IGS can be used...
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Serious games, mental health apps, and gambling disorder
The title of a recently published article, A Serious Game to Improve Emotion Regulation in Treatment-Seeking Individuals With Gambling Disorder: A Usability Study , peaked my interest for a few reasons. First, being part of a group of folks who design and create learning opportunities for mental health and addictions clinicians, we have talked about integrating "serious games" (broadly defined as games with educational or informational aims, vs. purely entertainment) into our course design.
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Re: Funding for Interventions
Hi Olive Here in Ontario, Canada, a certain amount of annual gambling revenues is directed towards gambling research, prevention, and treatment. I believe this was based on an agreement that accompanied the opening of casinos in the Province in the 1990s. The money is directed through our Ministry of Health. I think it was 2% of slot machine revenues from the slots at racetracks program. In my view, we were well funded as a result of that original decision and it worked well for many years,...
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Re: Funding for Interventions
Hi Olive I can't find the original document but it is called Ontario's problem - gambling Strategy and it has been in existence since 1996. Since 1999, it has been funded by a formula of 2 percent of gross slot machine revenue from charity casinos and slots at racetracks. The Strategy has a three-pronged approach consisting of treatment, prevention/awareness and research. I have attached a review of the strategy that was conducted in 2005. You can also find some information about it at the...
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Re: Problem Gaming Q&A with Elaine Uskoski (May 6-7, 2021)
So glad to hear Jake is doing well and has family nearby and a new pet for company - I'm sure that's been great support, especially during this past year with the pandemic.
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Re: Problem Gaming Q&A with Elaine Uskoski (May 6-7, 2021)
Hi Elaine! This is a really interesting conversation. Thanks for sharing your experiences and approaches that inform your work. I had a few questions I’d like to ask as well: What are some of the main challenges parents/caregivers face when addressing gaming or video game addiction with their children/kin? What have you found to be effective in addressing these challenges? Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected how you speak about gaming? In what ways?
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Re: Problem Gaming Q&A with Elaine Uskoski (May 6-7, 2021)
Yes, I remember when I worked with teens and parents as an EA for several years that young teens especially really appreciated clear rules and expectations around behaviour. Especially when it was consistent, it helped create a sense of safety and trust (plus some learning time and patience from parents/carers in those times when teens wanted to explore and test how firm those boundaries are!) Dr. Brene Brown speaks a lot about this on her podcast too. Older teens could also help co-create...
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Re: Problem Gaming Q&A with Elaine Uskoski (May 6-7, 2021)
This makes a lot of sense to me as well. If there isn't a clear contingency of what is and isn't allowed/expected, then people are going to test where those boundaries are. Especially if the choice is between doing something that they find engaging vs. something that may be important but isn't as immediately as captivating. Do you think that for older teens/young adults that it's better to set clear rules/expectations or to have discussions on time management, values/priorities and how they...
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Re: Problem Gaming Q&A with Elaine Uskoski (May 6-7, 2021)
Great question Mahfuz What I find often is that parents are rewarding children for following rules, rather than setting up a system where the child has a consequence of losing whatever their personal currency is when they don't follow through with expectations. I suggest parents make a list, that is clear for the child to follow, that contains both personal responsibilities as well as chores that are required. This list can be discussed and created with the child. But some of the items are...
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Re: Gacha Games - The merging of gambling and gaming
Great video Elaine. It wasn't a main part of the video you linked, but at 3:35 they're discussing a "whale" (i.e., someone who spends a lot of money on gacha games) and the subs indicate he, "did stocks and futures. That sort of thing". With gambling declining in Canada and in general worldwide, I wonder how many people who might have been gambling in slot machines or bingo might be gambling through gacha games instead, and how the profile of getting the same feeling of gambling through...
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'Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now'
The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma argues that the social media platforms we use to stay connected are making us miserable, disconnected, and potentially having a much wider impact on the socio-political landscape. The documentary received both praise for its engaging content but also received its fair share of criticism for perhaps being, at times, unbalanced in its views (and for not including individuals who have been campaigning for humane and ethical technology long before the...
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Re: 'Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now'
@Registered Member - the arguments aren't necessarily what you might expect (like improved wellbeing, sleep, etc.) the book focusses more on the impact of those algorithms on our ability to have empathy with others or be critical of news sources (argument #3 - 'social media is making you into an a**; #4 - 'social media is undermining the truth; #9 'social media is making politics impossible'). The author is a computer scientist and futurist so I think he's really arguing about how these...
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Can jurisdictions effectively impose limits on videogame use by kids?
The Wall Street Journal has reported that China imposed a new rule for the country’s minors: No videogames during the school week and one hour a day on Fridays, weekends and public holidays. China announced strict new measures today to reduce what authorities describe as youth videogame addiction. The new regulation, announced by the National Press and Publication Administration, allows minors to play videogames between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Fridays and weekends as well as public holidays. It...
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JGI Fall 2021 - Issue 48 - Now Available!
The JGI Fall 2021 Issue is now available - all issues are open access. This quarterly issue features work by Canadian researchers, including Michael Wohl and Nassim Tabri, as well as international scholars, Sally Gainsbury, Bowden-Jones, and others. Original research by a Toronto-based team examined the high prevalence of problem gambling - but low rate of treatment participation - among people experiencing poverty and homelessness and showed that social, financial, housing, and health...
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Podcast Interview with a Recovering Video Gaming Addict
Many of you are familiar with my son's story of gaming addiction, as told by me in my speaking, webinars, and my books. Podcaster and recovered gambling addict, Brian Hatch recently interviewed my son, Jake, on his own, so he could share his journey through gaming addiction and recovery. Jake discusses what led him down the rabbit hole, how he struggled to overcome his compulsion, the support he received, and how he now manages his life, as well as his relationship with the internet, as a...
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GREO online consultation survey
Share your insights by contributing to a new online consultation survey about gambling participation and problem gambling prevalence . The Gambling Commission in Great Britain has appointed NatCen Social Research and a research team from the University of Glasgow to pilot a new approach for measuring gambling participation and prevalence of problem gambling. The aim is to develop a single high-quality population survey for the whole of Great Britain. As part of the pilot project, an online...
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User testing survey - Self Management App for Recovery from Gambling
Justice and Equity Lab, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital Our lab is creating a self-management app for problem gambling called SPRinG (Supporting People Recovering from Problem Gambling). The SPRinG app is currently being developed to help, first and foremost, persons experiencing poverty and homelessness self-manage their problem gambling and other complex needs by providing people with constant access to support through their smartphone. The app will also...
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App User testing - Supporting people recovering from problem gambling
Hi everyone, A research team at St. Michael’s Hospital has been working with the community to design and develop a self-management app to help people in their recovery from problem gambling. We are entering the user testing phase. The purpose of user testing is to help inform the next phase of app design. We are asking people to answer a 16-question survey. We would greatly appreciate it if you could share the survey link ( https://redcap.utoronto.ca/surveys/?s=CYPWHAAJCHHRCK9D ) with people...
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[Online workshop opportunity, March 10th 2022] Fundamentals of gambling and gaming: Effective assessment and treatment planning
The Gambling, Gaming, and Technology Use team is offering a facilitated workshop: Fundamentals of gambling and gaming: Effective assessment and treatment planning on March 10th from 13:00 to 15:00 hours EST. This training is best suited to newly qualified clinicians as well as students who are currently working directly with clients, however, successful completion of the Fundamentals of Gambling and Gaming (FUN-GG) course is a prerequisite. FUN-GG is a short, self-directed course that...
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Webinar Today - Registration is free! ConnexOntario (Discover Mental Health, Addiction and Problem Gambling Services): A brief history and overview.
So much has transpired in mental health and addictions over the last two years during the COVID-19 pandemic and there is much to learn from our colleagues at ConnexOntario. Anne Counter, Director of System Navigation and Information Services will be taking us through the history of ConnexOntario, providing us a refresher of their services, as well as sharing current data in regards to trends specific to gambling and technology use. We will also learn about the impact of COVID-19 on the...
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“Addicted” to Social Media? Does Empathy play a role?
How does empathy relate to social media addiction? Well a study conducted in 2020 looked at the association of empathy and social media addiction amongst high school students. They also looked at another hypothesis (which is not discussed here). Empathy was defined as “the skill to comprehend and share other’s emotions and feelings ”. The authors acknowledged that empathy has both a cognitive component (i.e. understanding another person’s emotions) and an affective component (i.e. the...
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Supporting African Caribbean Black (ACB) Women with Gambling Concerns: A Best Practices Guide for Professionals – A wonderful collaborative article and a must read from the team at Jean Tweed and their project partners.
As February comes to a close with us celebrating and honoring Black History Month , we are only mindful at GGTU to ensure we send out a tribute to the Jean Tweed article, spearheaded by Angela Allen. This well written guide needs to be shared within our community since it shines a light on their wonderful research and helps us better understand and support African Caribbean Black (ACB) women with gambling concerns. After a thorough literature review and survey being conducted, the results...
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Re: Adverse Childhood Events, Emotional dysregulation and Gambling: A potential link?
This intersects well with the work of Dr Gabor Mate who talks about the connection between trauma and addiction. Many addiction programs teach their clients about emotional regulation who greatly benefit from it. We would ask all clients coming into the problem gambling and technology use program at CAMH about any history of trauma.
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Re: Adverse Childhood Events, Emotional dysregulation and Gambling: A potential link?
Thanks Peter and Hamza, this is so insightful. We did have Dr. Mate come present at Addiction Rounds a couple of years ago. It was really well received. Great to see this transfer over.
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The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021-22
Common Sense Media have published their annual report from a large-scale, national survey of U.S teens and tweens on their media use habits. The report compares media use by teens and tweens before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the report, the authors present some recommendations for caregivers and parents as well as policymakers about healthy and safe media use for young people. Below are some key findings from the report: Media use in tweens and teens has grown faster since the...
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Digital Burnout: How it May Impact Perceptions of Problem Technology Use
Digital Burnout: COVID-19 Lockdown Mediates Excessive Technology Use Stress by Sharma Manoj Kumar, Anand Nitin, Ahuja Shikha, Thakur Pranjali Chakraborty, Mondal Ishita, Singh Priya, Kohli Tavleen, Venkateshan Sangeetha View the article here Discussions of how events of the Covid-19 pandemic might impacts various areas of human life have been a hot topic for debate over the previous 2 years. With outbreak numbers stabilizing and the resuming of "normal" daily activities more recently,...
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Video Game and ADHD Video Resource
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R634ytgt7fw 1) By discussing the feedback loop in video games, this video helps to increase understanding on why things offline start to feel less rewarding compared to video games, along with why it is easier to focus / be motivated with a game. 2) This video offers ADHD target information, which is of extra benefit since having ADHD is a risk facture in developing problematic gaming behaviour. However, this information can still be applied to neurotypical...
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health
The urges absolutely happen! I myself can go through phases where I am more mindful then others. I see many people as well in my personal life/ work life feeling the need to "check their phone". Great to discuss from an early age when its a "good time" to review your social media/ phone as to when it may be more beneficial to absorb the moment we are in.
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Social media break improves mental health
https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/social-media-break-improves-mental-health-new-study/ Results of a UK study that asked participants to take a week-long break from social media improved individuals’ overall level of well-being, as well as reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. 154 adults ( aged 18 to 72) who used social media every day were randomized to: 1. intervention group= asked to stop using all social media for one-week 2. control group= continue scrolling as normal Even those...
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Microtransactions in Videogames
Attached are an article and youtube video on the prevalence of microtransactions in videogames. For those of you who may be unaware, microtransactions are purchases that can be made inside a video game for cosmetic items or gameplay advantages. In many games, these purchases come in the form of a "loot box" system, where the only way to get the item that you are interested in is to "roll" for them, forcing you to buy multiple useless items as well. This is essentially an early introduction...
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Health effects of gaming
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-health-effects-of-too-much-gaming-2020122221645 This article highlights some benefits as well as negative effects of gaming: They highlight that gaming can enhance feeling connected as well as helping adolescents with ADHD improve their thinking skills. They highlight the possible negative effects of gaming as repetitive stress or overuse injuries in hands or arms, obesity, vision problems, sleep deprivation, circadian rhythm disorders, anxiety,...
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Game Over: Game Quitters – Online Peer Support for Gamers
Game Over: Game Quitters – Online Peer Support for Gamers www.gamequitters.com YouTube: https://youtu.be/dyOLc5cl6ck Cam’s story is one that many would resonate with. He is the founder of Game Quitters which is an online support page for gamers who are concerned about their gaming habits. It is a safe space that offers a chance for individuals to connect with others who are experiencing similar struggles with gaming addiction. It is well formatted with resources in various forms including...
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Client Video on Confidence with Gaming vs Offline World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wngVZR8ISBU In this video by Cam from Game Quitters (a self-help group for people with video game addiction and their family that also has treatment services for a fee) outlines a common concern within the gaming community. The idea that gaming is the only thing the person can do well, and that cutting back or quitting games will take away the only way they can feel accomplished. Not only is this a fear that many clients for problem gaming can relate to, but...
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Re: Health effects of gaming
I do always forget that there are some positive/ benefits to gaming. Motivation behind their behaviour and their perceived benefit is well written! Great conversations to have with someone struggling or not even.
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Problematic Online Behaviors Among Gamers
Article posted for COI was: Rozgonjuk, Dmitri & Schivinski, Bruno & Pontes, Halley & Montag, Christian. (2022). Correction to: Problematic Online Behaviors Among Gamers: the Links Between Problematic Gaming, Gambling, Shopping, Pornography Use, and Social Networking. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Accessed May 16, 2022 at https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11469-021-00590-3.pdf Three Bullet Points – How Article Relates to Gaming Behaviors listed...
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Therapist Survey on covid impact training needs
Research and knowledge exchange opportunity Dear EENET members: We are still conducting our survey of the impact of Covid on treatment services and service providors. Please click on the link below to participate in this anonymous survey. I've also attached a summary of the results from the first round of this survey as feedback to the EENet community. Original post. Dr. Nigel Turner at CAMH is conducting a short survey aimed towards at clinicians who help people with addictions and mental...
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Three hours a week: Play time’s over for China’s young video gamers
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/video-games/three-hours-week-play-times-chinas-young-video-gamers-rcna1816 In 2021 China imposed restrictions on video game play for under 18’s, 1 hour of play Fri, Sat, and Sun between 8pm and 9pm. An intervention China said was required to “pull the plug on a growing addiction”, gaming once described as “spiritual opium”. Has this been helpful, should other countries adopt this strategy? In China gaming companies are required to have Real-name verification...
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Video game play is positively correlated with well-being
Video game play is positively correlated with well-being | Royal Society Open Science (royalsocietypublishing.org) - This study shows an overall positive correlation between video game play and an individual's mental health - It studies people playing the new Plants vs Zombies and Animal Crossing games, which are fairly "casual" gameplay experiences. I am curious what the study would look like when run on more "competitive" gamers like MMO, MOBA and FPS players - They also noticed an...