A Study of Digital Games as a Method of Reducing Stress for Students in the Modern World : Study took place at Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad (IIIT Dharwad)

Objective: This research explores the link between playing digital games and stress reduction among students across diverse educational levels. The study investigates optimal gaming duration for stress reduction. Method: The study employs two approaches: a broad survey capturing student opinions and a focused method involving 14 volunteers playing games while monitoring stress levels using a questionnaire pre-gaming and post-gaming, over a 21-day span. Key Results: The general survey indicates that over 80% of students find digital games helpful in stress reduction. However, an in-depth analysis reveals around 55% to 60% experience actual relaxation post-gaming, typically lasting less than 2 hours. Few exhibit consistent long-term stress reduction. The focus group shows daily stress reduction for some, with occasional spikes attributed to academic stress. Conclusion: Digital games have a positive impact on student stress levels, providing effective daily stress reduction in short gaming sessions of 15 to 30 minutes. The impact of longer gaming duration remains beyond this study’s scope.