Research / Games for good

Full paper · 2026

Seeing Your Own Mind Playing Out on the Screen: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Video Games as Dynamic Coping Systems

Mirhadi, S., Iacovides, J., & Denisova, A.

JournalSJR Q1Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction (CHI PLAY 2026), 2026

Teaser figure: Seeing your own mind playing out on the screen. A model from interviews with 17 players links the player (personal difficulties, lived experiences, needs and skills) with game aspects such as challenge, characters, choice, environment and narrative. These lead to coping mechanisms (processing emotions, reframing thoughts, seeking temporary refuge, developing self-understanding, building competence) and to coping outcomes, which feed back into future play. The games discussed were Disco Elysium, Darkest Dungeon and Stardew Valley.
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In short

Video games can help people cope during periods of personal difficulty, but we know little about exactly how they do so. In this constructivist grounded theory study, we interviewed 17 players of Disco Elysium, Darkest Dungeon and Stardew Valley about their lived experiences, and developed the Games as Dynamic Coping Systems model.

In games

The three games in the study

  • In the paper

    Disco Elysium

    2019

    Narrative RPG. Players coped through dialogue, branching choices and the Thought Cabinet, where the detective internalises ideas and ideologies.

  • In the paper

    Darkest Dungeon

    2016

    Roguelike. Hero stress, quirks and permanent death create discomfort through challenge, which could prompt reflection on how people respond to adversity.

  • In the paper

    Stardew Valley

    2016

    Life simulation. A daily rhythm of farming and friendships helped players build routines during stressful times.

Key findings

  • The model describes a dynamic, recursive relationship between players, game aspects, coping mechanisms and coping outcomes.
  • Different games support coping in distinct ways, depending on how a player’s difficulties, experiences and needs meet aspects such as challenge, characters, narrative, choice and the game world.
  • The study offers a theoretical framework for understanding gaming as a valuable form of coping during difficult life experiences.

Read and cite

PDF (accepted version) Publisher's version (DOI)

APA citation

Mirhadi, S., Iacovides, J., & Denisova, A. (2026). Seeing Your Own Mind Playing Out on the Screen: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Video Games as Dynamic Coping Systems. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 10(7). https://doi.org/10.1145/3831326

Line of work

  1. Builds on · 2024Playing Through Tough Times: Exploring the Relationship between Game Aspects and Coping Strategies during Difficult Life Challenges
  2. This paper · 2026Seeing Your Own Mind Playing Out on the Screen: A Constructivist Grounded Theory of Video Games as Dynamic Coping Systems

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