What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to understand how emerging adults in India experience gaming beyond pathological perspectives.

July 6, 2026Open Access

Reconceptualizing online gaming in emerging adulthood: a phenomenological study

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Online gaming functions as a meaningful, multidimensional psychosocial practice in emerging adulthood that supports emotional regulation, cognitive engagement, personal growth, and social connection, rather than merely being a pathological risk. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONTRADICTORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.CHALLENGES_CONSENSUS.

Key Points

This study aims to understand how emerging adults in India experience gaming beyond pathological perspectives.
Qualitative phenomenological study with 12 emerging adult gamers aged 18–25 years in India.
Data collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews via secure video conferencing.
Thematic analysis used to analyze interview data, ensuring trustworthiness through independent coding and member checking.
Three themes identified: emotional intensity and coping strategies associated with gaming.
Gaming perceived as a meaningful activity supporting identity development and social interaction.
Participants emphasized the need for balance and self-monitoring in gaming practices.

Abstract

Gaming is increasingly embedded in the everyday lives of emerging adults, yet research has predominantly emphasized pathological or risk-oriented perspectives. Limited attention has been given to how young adults experience gaming as an emotional, cognitive, embodied, and meaningful practice integrated into daily life. This study explored the lived experiences of gaming among emerging adults in India using a phenomenological approach. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted among 12 emerging adult gamers aged 18–25 years in India. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling to ensure active gaming engagement and diversity in gender representation. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted between December 2023 and June 2024 using secure video conferencing platforms. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Trustworthiness was established through independent coding, reflexive practices, member checking, and audit trails. Three themes were identified: (1) “What Gaming Feels Like,” describes emotional intensity, coping, motivation, and self-reflection; (2) “How Gaming Shows Up in the Body,” highlights immersion, bodily awareness, fatigue, and physical self-regulation; and (3) “How Gaming Fits into Life,” describing the integration of gaming within routines, relationships, identity, and social interaction. Participants described gaming as a meaningful developmental activity that supported emotional regulation, cognitive engagement, personal growth, and social connection while also requiring balance and self-monitoring. Findings challenge reductive risk–benefit conceptualizations of gaming by demonstrating that gaming can function as a multidimensional and embodied psychosocial practice in emerging adulthood. The study highlights the importance of understanding gaming within the broader contexts of identity development, emotional regulation, and everyday life. These findings have implications for psychological research, clinical assessment, and youth-focused digital well-being interventions. Not applicable.

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