Abstract

This study explored potential therapeutic mechanisms of playing preferred online games as predictors of therapeutic interventions for players’ psychosocial factors (i.e., aggression, depression, and loneliness). Based on theories of catharsis, the generic model of psychotherapy, we took a therapeutic approach to integrate these perspectives. We created a path model describing how therapeutic catharsis-seeking, online game self-efficacy, and life self-efficacy were associated with psychosocial factors of aggression, depression, and loneliness, including generalized sub-constructs of each factor as multi-dimensional sources. We analyzed the path model using data of 1,227 online game players in Korea. Our results indicated that therapeutic catharsis-seeking could alleviate aggression via favorite game playing. Life self-efficacy was a primary predictor for alleviating depression and loneliness. However, online game self-efficacy was positively associated with depression and loneliness. Implications of these findings are discussed.