Possible Biases of Researchers’ Attitudes Toward Video Games: Publication Trends Analysis of the Medical Literature (1980–2013)

Abstract

BackgroundThe study of video games is expanding, and so is the debate regarding their possible positive and deleterious effects. As controversies continue, several researchers have expressed their concerns about substantial biases existing in the field, which might lead to the creation of a skewed picture, both in the professional and in the lay literature. However, no study has tried to examine this issue quantitatively.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to examine possible systematic biases in the literature, by analyzing the publication trends of the medical and life sciences literature regarding video games.MethodsWe performed a complete and systematic PubMed search up to December 31, 2013. We assessed all 1927 articles deemed relevant for their attitude toward video games according to the focus, hypothesis, and authors’ interpretation of the study results, using a 3-category outcome (positive, negative, and neutral). We assessed the prevalence of different attitudes for possible association with year of publication, location of researchers, academic discipline, methodological research, and centrality of the publishing journals.ResultsThe attitude toward video games presented in publications varied by year of publication, location, academic discipline, and methodological research applied (P<.001 for all). Moreover, representation of different attitudes differed according to centrality of the journals, as measured by their impact factor (P<.001).ConclusionsThe results suggest that context, whether scientific or social, is related to researchers’ attitudes toward video games. Readers, both lay and professional, should weigh these contextual variables when interpreting studies’ results, in light of the possible bias they carry. The results also support a need for a more balanced, open-minded approach toward video games, as it is likely that this complex phenomenon carries novel opportunities as well as new hazards.

InsuOnline, an Electronic Game for Medical Education on Insulin Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Primary Care Physicians

“…Most available games for health professionals’ education have not passed through an objective validation process, and many of the published studies on the field are biased [59]. So, there is a great need of good quality studies which can provide solid evidence to support the fast-growing science of games for health.…”

Serious Games in Health Professions Education: Review of Trends and Learning Efficacy

“…Few articles examine serious games used exclusively by under-, postgraduate medical students, medical doctors, and allied health 5 7 8 11 16 . One review article examined video games and publication trends of the medical literature, but it focused on the possible biases of the researcher’s attitudes toward video games 17 . We did not find a review article that examines the trends of the use of serious games for the education of health professionals, using publication metadata.…”

Commercial Video Games As Therapy: A New Research Agenda to Unlock the Potential of a Global Pastime

“…Some of the difficulty in defining and naming terms may also be due to researchers’ extant biases and attitudes toward commercial games. Published studies concerning video games from public health, pediatrics, psychiatry, and psychology perspectives appear to have become less positive over time, and studies having a positive focus are more likely to be found in journals with a low impact factor ( 33 ). Reviews of the therapeutic effects of video games usually conflate commercial games and custom-designed games or gamified interventions, making it difficult to compare interventions and draw conclusions about the potential benefits of popular commercial video games.…”