Digital gaming trends of middle-aged and older adults: a sample from Turkey

Abstract

Background: Although the gaming habits of children, adolescents, and younger adults have been investigated in Turkey there has been less emphasis on the gaming patterns of middle-aged and older adults. The current study therefore investigated middle-aged and older adults' digital gaming habits, the aspects of digital games that they believe are enjoyable and any perceived psychological and cognitive advantages. Methods: Of the 177 middle-aged and older adults aged between 55 and 85 years (M = 62) living in Turkey who partook in the study, data from 140 participants were analyzed. Participants completed the 'Demographic Information Form' and Engagement with Digital Games Questionnaire' via a Qualtrics link that was distributed on social media platforms and using the convenience and snowball sampling technique. Results: Findings of this study showed that out of the 57 digital game players, the majority (N = 34) reported to play puzzle games such as Candy Crush. Moreover, gamers indicated that they believed digital games had psychological and cognitive benefits. Conclusion: Overall, the findings of the current study revealed that middle-aged and older adults enjoy playing digital games for fun, stress relief, and as a mental exercise regime.