Digital gaming is a popular leisure occupation for people across the lifespan. Occupational therapy practitioners should understand the meaning and purpose of digital gaming for people with disabilities. This scoping review explores peer-reviewed literature investigating the meaning and purpose of digital gaming for people with disabilities. A structured search of the literature (2006–2023) was performed with four databases following the JBI Guidance for Scoping Reviews. Three independent reviewers completed article screening, selection, and extraction using a scoping review approach. Forty-eight included articles covered a range of diagnoses, settings, contexts, and outcomes. Studies explored exergaming as a therapeutic tool, outcomes of virtual reality gaming, digital gaming for cognitive retraining and the experience of disabled gamers. Limited studies examined meaning and purpose as a primary outcome. Future research around outcomes of meaning and purpose could contribute to knowledge and skills to support gaming as an occupation.
Plain-Language Summary
Meaning and purpose of digital and adaptive gaming: A review
This scoping review looks at research studies that describe the meaning and purpose for participating in digital gaming for people with disabilities. Included studies described the use of active video gaming (AVG) in rehabilitation and community settings, the study of gaming as a new and different experience, using digital gaming to improve thinking, potential for immersive virtual reality for gaming, and surveys of those who describe themselves as disabled gamers. The findings highlight areas for future research to better understand the meaning and purpose of gaming to people with disabilities. The findings also provide valuable information to support occupational therapy practitioners in addressing digital gaming as an occupation.
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