A randomized controlled trial to assess effectiveness of GamE- an e-Health intervention to self-manage gaming with an aim to prevent gaming disorder.

Gaming disorder is a health concern associated with significant impairment. Digital technology can be helpful for implementing preventive measures for gaming disorder. This randomized trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of an e-Health intervention to prevent gaming disorder among college students. This randomized trial compared an online intervention module aimed at improving knowledge, skill and attitude of the students and empower them with self- help strategies to monitor and regulate their gaming behavior with an aim to prevent gaming disorder, with wait list control. The sample comprised of 30 cases and 33 controls. The understanding of the concept of gaming, understanding of difference between gaming and gaming disorder, understanding of adverse effects associated with gaming disorder, understanding of screening of gaming disorder and self-help techniques of regulating gaming disorder increased more in the intervention group than control. The participants most favored self-monitoring and strategies to promote healthy lifestyles for regulating gaming. Online digital intervention can be effectively used as a strategy to prevent gaming disorder among college students. Such an intervention can empower students with strategies to regulate their extent of gaming.

Media reporting on deaths due to suicide attributed to gaming in digital news: A case of misrepresentation and missed opportunities.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to study the attributes of the digital media reports on death due to suicide attributed to gaming. We also aimed to assess the overlap between the 'gaming' and 'gambling' activities in these media reports. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The online media reports on the theme of deaths due to suicides attributed to digital gaming in India were retrieved using the Google News online platform. The news reports were searched in the tor browser using the keywords "gaming suicide India" or "gaming death India". RESULTS: Gaming was identified as the direct reason for death due to suicide in an overwhelming majority (94.8%) of news reports. A large proportion of the reports failed to report death due to suicide in a responsible manner following the guidelines for responsible media reporting of suicide given by the World Health Organization (WHO). Stakeholders' views and opinions mentioned in the news reports included parents, caregivers or friends (17.5%), other gamers (3.1%), gaming industry (8.3%), and mental health professionals (5.2%). Around 24 per cent reports advocated a ban on 'gaming'. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our observations we recommend responsible reporting on death due to suicide in the online news. Also, there should be a more rigorous and systematic attempt before reaching at the conclusion while attributing these deaths to gaming. Finally, the news reports should ensure that the boundaries between 'gaming' and 'gambling' do not get blurred.