Exploring the Effective Help for Social Anxiety: MMORPGs Delivering Online Help

Ho, Shu‐Hsun; Lin, Yuling; Lee, Ruei-Hau

doi:10.5539/ijms.v7n2p10

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Scheier et al (1986) suggest that when people are exposed to situations where they fear they will behave inappropriately or embarrassingly because of their interpersonal skills, they try to substitute the social interaction by active use of alternative technological avenues, e.g. online socialization (Ho et al , 2015) or mobile phone text messaging rather than calling (Lee et al , 2014). Based on these, we argue that a non-native customer may engage in avoidance behavior in different ways based on their previous experiences at the focal ICSE.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linguistic racism in inter-culture service encounter

Malik

Paswan

2022

JCM

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Purpose Language plays an important role in a successful service exchange, but it can become a source of discrimination if one party is a non-native speaker in the host country. This study aims to examine the linguistic racism that non-native customers experience in Inter Culture Service Encounters (ICSEs) and delves into factors that contribute to the underlying psychological responses and the behavioral outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A phenomenological approach was used where 16 individuals were interviewed to discover themes through non-native customers' lens using an inductive process. Next, the emerged categories were classified based on extant literature, using a deductive approach. Findings The findings highlight the role of language varieties as a strong social identity cue for non-native customers where the associated stigma makes them see ICSE as a stereotype threat. Most importantly, these experiences shape their future behavior by avoiding direct interactions with the servers and adopting other service channels. Several “social others” influence this process. Originality/value This study explores the notion of linguistic racism in an ICSE from a non-native consumers’ lens and thus adds to this under-researched literature. Using a phenomenological approach, the authors propose a framework focusing on the perception of language-related stigma and discrimination experienced by non-native consumers’ along with possible behavioral responses.

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Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linguistic racism in inter-culture service encounter

Malik

Paswan

2022

JCM

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“…Therefore, when people face situations where they fear they will behave inappropriately or embarrassingly because of their interpersonal skills, they try to substitute the social interactions with the active use of alternative technological avenues, e.g. online socialization (Ho et al, 2015) or text messaging rather than calling (Lee et al, 2014). Based on this discussion and the proliferation of smart services, we suggest that during ICSE, the interaction discomfort experienced by non-native customers based on the anticipated linguistic discrimination would make consumers opt for the avoidance mechanism, i.e.…”

Section: Interaction Comfortmentioning

confidence: 99%

Language-related stereotype threat, customers’ well-being and its outcome

Malik

Paswan

2023

JSM

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Purpose While language is vital for a successful service exchange, it can also become a source of vulnerability if one party is a non-native speaker in an inter-culture service encounter (ICSE). Hence, the purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between language-related stigma that non-native customers perceive in an ICSE and the associated psychological and behavioral responses. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based research method and an experimental study was used to collect data from non-native speakers in the USA with English as their second language. Structural equation modeling procedure was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings The findings suggest that the customers who perceive language-related stigmatization in an ICSE context experience intergroup anxiety and lack of social belonging. In turn, intergroup anxiety influences their interaction comfort with the service provider. In the end, these experiences shape their future buying behavior, i.e. they tend to avoid direct interactions with the servers and prefer smart services. Research limitations/implications Future research is needed to explore the focal phenomenon in other service contexts and cultures to enrich knowledge on language vulnerabilities. Practical implications The study highlights the importance of technology, not just from a convenience perspective, but also as an accommodation mechanism for linguistically vulnerable customers. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to empirically examine the language-related stigmatization and associated psychological and behavioral responses from the non-native customers’ perspective in a services exchange setting.

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“…A number of studies have shown advantages of web-based socialization and web-based peer support for patients with disorders such as autism [7,8], social anxiety disorder [9], and chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF), where the danger of cross-infection of respiratory tract bacteria [10][11][12] prevents patients with CF from socializing in person.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the Feasibility of a Multiplayer Role-Playing Game as a Behavioral Health Intervention in Adolescent Patients With Chronic Physical or Mental Conditions: Protocol for a Cohort Study

Babichenko¹,

Radovic²,

Patel³

et al. 2023

JMIR Res Protoc

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Background Numerous studies have revealed that adolescents with chronic physical or mental conditions (CPMCs) are at an increased risk for depression and anxiety, with serious direct and indirect negative effects on treatment adherence, family functioning, and health-related quality of life. As game-based approaches are effective interventions in treating anxiety and depression, we propose to explore the use of a multiplayer role-playing game (RPG) as a potential intervention for social isolation, anxiety, and depression. Objective The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the feasibility of using Masks, a multiplayer RPG, as an intervention for social isolation, anxiety, and depression in adolescents with CPMCs; (2) evaluate the viability of the research process; and (3) gauge participation in and engagement with RPG-based interventions. Methods This study is a remote synchronous game-based intervention for adolescents with CPMCs aged 14-19 years. Eligible participants completed a web-based baseline survey to assess anxiety, depression, and social isolation and to identify their gaming habits. After completing the baseline survey, they participated in 5 moderated Masks game sessions. In Masks, players assume the roles of young superheroes; select their character types, superpowers; and perform actions determined by the game’s rule system and dice rolls. All game sessions were played using Discord, a communication platform commonly used by gaming communities. Games were led and moderated by game masters (GMs). After each game session, participants completed surveys to assess changes in anxiety, depression, and social isolation, and their attitude toward the game and the user experience. The participants also completed an exit survey after all 5 game sessions (modified version of the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, and 17 open-ended questions). The GMs rated each game session and reported on gameplay, player behavior, comfort, and engagement levels of the players. Results As of March 2020, six participants were recruited for the pilot study to participate in moderated web-based game sessions of Masks; 3 completed all game sessions and all required assessments. Although the number of participants was too low to draw generalizable conclusions, self-reported clinical outcomes did seem to indicate a positive change in depression, anxiety, and social isolation symptoms. Qualitative analysis of postgame survey data from participants and GMs indicated high levels of engagement and enjoyment. Furthermore, the participants provided feedback about improved mood and engagement related to weekly participation in Masks. Lastly, responses to the exit survey showed interest in future RPG-related studies. Conclusions We established a workflow for gameplay and evaluated a research protocol for evaluating the impact of RPG participation on isolation, anxiety, and depression symptoms in adolescents with CPMCs. Preliminary data collected from the pilot study support the validity of the research protocol and the use of RPG-based interventions in larger clinical studies. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/43987

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Exploring the Effective Help for Social Anxiety: MMORPGs Delivering Online Help

Cited by 9 publications

References 35 publications

Linguistic racism in inter-culture service encounter

Linguistic racism in inter-culture service encounter

Language-related stereotype threat, customers’ well-being and its outcome

Evaluating the Feasibility of a Multiplayer Role-Playing Game as a Behavioral Health Intervention in Adolescent Patients With Chronic Physical or Mental Conditions: Protocol for a Cohort Study

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