Recovery From Problematic Gaming Through the Lens of the Transtheoretical Model of Change: A Thematic Synthesis of Forum Posts

Background With growing concerns over video games being harmful to children and adults alike, research into problematic gaming has been on the rise. While a lot of studies had investigated the effectiveness of different treatment approaches, only a couple of studies explored what the wider process of recovery from problematic gaming looks like. The Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) is a well‐established theory of recovery in the field of addictive behaviours. The current study aimed to extend the application of the TTM to recovery from problematic gaming. Research Questions Q1: How do individuals affected by problematic gaming recover from it? and Q2: How does the TTM apply to recovery from problematic gaming? Methods Data were collected from an online forum dedicated to discussions about problematic gaming and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Results showed that although there were identifiable patterns between participants, recovery was a complex process that was shaped by participants' experiences with gaming, their circumstances, chosen recovery goals and methods. Participants progressed through the stages of change as outlined in the TTM. The importance of peer support was highlighted. Finally, factors that facilitated or hindered recovery were also discussed. Discussion Recovery from problematic gaming largely aligned with the TTM, strongly indicating that it could be useful to incorporate TTM concepts and interventions into treatment for problematic gaming.