Stress Reduction: Casual Gaming versus Guided Relaxation

Stress Reduction: Casual Gaming or Guided Relaxation

Physiological and psychological stresses are gaining more interest as they are associated with many illnesses and diseases. The development of tools to reduce stress can help reduce the risk of illness and disease and improve treatment outcomes. Research has indicated that casual gaming can help reduce physiological and psychological stress. The present research investigates how casual gaming compares in the reduction of stress to guided relaxation and sitting quietly using a between subjects design. The results show that casual gaming can improve positive affect for mood more than meditation/guided relaxation and sitting quietly. These findings support prior research where casual gaming has been shown to increase mood and therefore may help to reduce stress.