Patterns of association in older adult gamers: Demographics, gameplay patterns, and perceived benefits

The over-sixty population is the fastest growing age group worldwide. This rapid growth in the older-adult population requires the need for additional resources to mitigate the effects of aging. Leisure activities have been shown to provide informal learning opportunities that help with various aspects of social and cognitive wellbeing in older adults. A survey asking about gameplay patterns, demographics, and perceived benefits of playing digital games was administered to 590 older adults over the age of 55. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric comparison of means were used to identify associations between variables to find which demographic and gameplay characteristics impacted perceptions of socio-emotional and cognitive benefits. Both perceived socio-emotional and cognitive benefits were associated with a large number of gameplay characteristics, such as time spent playing digital games, people with whom they play digital games, and playing games online. Results provide us with a more nuanced understanding of how older adults play digital games and which factors influence their perceptions of benefits.