Williams, Joanne

Joice, Rob

2024-03-27T13:39:58Z

2024-03-27T13:39:58Z

2024-03-27

INTRODUCTION: This thesis set out to address two objectives. Firstly, a systematic review was conducted to develop an understanding of the risk and protective factors for loot box spending specifically in children and adolescents. Secondly, the empirical project sought to test the significance of these findings in Scotland and to expand on them, specifically in the domains of problem gaming, impulsivity, and social and emotional wellbeing. METHODS: The systematic review identified eleven studies using a predefined selection criteria. The empirical study recruited 32 young people aged 12-14 from a school based in a rural area of Scotland, and 109 young people aged 16-18 via online recruitment. Both groups completed the same digital questionnaire, completing demographic-based questions as well as measures on loot box spending, problem gaming, impulsivity, and emotional/social wellbeing. Responses for both groups were combined and analysed using multiple linear regression to identify significant predictors of loot box spending. RESULTS: The systematic review indicated that problem gambling and problem gaming were significant predictors of loot box spending in this population, and that additional factors such as impulsivity, victimisation, and maladaptive coping strategies may be linked. There may also be a small cohort of females for whom problem gambling is a particularly potent predictor of high loot box spend. It also highlighted a need for quantitative studies in Scotland, as well as an opportunity to understand the loot box spending phenomenon through a Clinical Psychology lens. The empirical project found a significant link between problem gaming and loot box spending in this population. Additionally, impulsivity predicted loot box spending but only in females. Though internalising problems appeared to predict loot box spending in a small school-based recruitment group, problems with social and emotional wellbeing were not significant predictors of loot box spending in the wider sample, though this may be linked to the specificity and sensitivity of these measures according to this sample size. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that further research is required to understand the relationship between loot box spending, problem gaming, and impulsivity in young people. Symptoms of impulsivity and problem gaming call for clinicians to develop understanding of the prevalence of loot box spending, and the potency of these risk factors, in potentially vulnerable CAMHS patients. Understanding this phenomenon in patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Conditions, Intellectual Disabilities and Emotional Disorders would be of benefit to raise awareness of an apparently prevalent yet clinically undetected risk and in turn develop appropriate risk assessment and psychological intervention.

https://hdl.handle.net/1842/41675

http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/4398

en

The University of Edinburgh

Loot boxes

video gaming

problem gambling

problem gaming

children

adolescents

risk factors

Clinical Psychology

Loot box spending in children and adolescents: an exploration of risk and protective factors

Thesis or Dissertation

Doctoral

DClinPsychol Doctorate in Clinical Psychology