‘I can actually do it without any help or someone watching over me all the time and giving me constant instruction’: Autistic adolescent boys' perspectives on engagement in online video gaming

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Metadata sources used for this reference

OpenAlex Crossref OpenCitations
Learn more about the sources used

Pavlopoulou, G., Usher, C. J., & Pearson, A. (2022). ‘I can actually do it without any help or someone watching over me all the time and giving me constant instruction’: Autistic adolescent boys' perspectives on engagement in online video gaming. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 40(4), 557-571. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12424

Publication date: 28 May 2022 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)
  1. Georgia Pavlopoulou
  2. Claire J. Usher
  3. Amy Pearson *

Abstract

Research into autistic adolescents' engagement in online gaming has so far focused on time spent gaming, or characterizing problematic gaming behaviour and has relied mostly on caregiver report. In the current study, we interviewed 12 autistic adolescent boys, asking about their perspectives on their engagement in online gaming, and their motivations. We analysed the interview data using thematic analysis and identified three key themes in the data, which focused on agency and a sense of belonging, emotion regulation, and acknowledgement of the differing perceptions that the young people and their caregivers had of gaming. Our findings show the need to include the viewpoints of autistic young people in research about their interests and well-being, and provide insights that can help caregivers and professionals to support autistic young people in flourishing.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 14:03.

Cited references
58
With a DOI
46
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
10
7 / 58 (12.1%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 58 (5.2%)
References with detected author names
55 / 58 (94.8%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
8
References with raw author names still to review
2
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
159
From DOI or external metadata
159
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
2
42 / 159 (26.4%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 117 / 159 (73.6%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
10 / 159 (6.3%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 10 / 42 (23.8%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 9 / 150 (6.0%).
  1. Micah O Mazurek , Christopher R. Engelhardt , Kelsey E. Clark (2015). Video games from the perspective of adults with autism spectrum disorder . Comput. Hum. Behav., 51, 122. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.04.062 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W224177289
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  2. APA (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition (DSM‐5) . Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition (DSM‐5).
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  3. Leonard Reinecke , Ron Tamborini , Matthew Grizzard , Robert Lewis , Allison Eden , Nicholas David Bowman (2012). Characterizing Mood Management as Need Satisfaction: The Effects of Intrinsic Needs on Selective Exposure and Mood Repair . Journal of Communication, 62(3), 437-453. Oxford University Press (OUP).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01649.x OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2006775629
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  4. Linda Kaye , Jo Bryce (2012). Putting the fun factor into gaming: The influence of social contexts on the experiences of playing videogames . International Journal of Internet Science, 7(1), 24.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1543350553
    Crossref OpenAlex
  5. Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology . Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1979290264
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Micah O Mazurek , C. R. Engelhardt (2013). Video Game Use in Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, or Typical Development . PEDIATRICS, 132(2), 260-266. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-3956 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2095628993
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  7. Damian Milton * (2014). Embodied sociality and the conditioned relativism of dispositional diversity . Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies, 1(3), 1.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1599069274
    Crossref OpenAlex
  8. Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328-352. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3048560297
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  9. Erinn H. Finke , Benjamin D. Hickerson , Jennifer M. D. Kremkow (2018). “To be quite honest, if it wasn’t for videogames I wouldn’t have a social life at all”: motivations of young adults with autism spectrum disorder for playing videogames as leisure . Am. J. Speech Lang. Pathol., 27(2), 672. American Speech Language Hearing Association.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1044/2017_ajslp-17-0073 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2795446395
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. Bryman A. (2016). Social research methods . Social research methods.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  12. Marisa H Fisher , Julie Lounds Taylor (2016). Let’s talk about it: Peer victimization experiences as reported by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder . Autism, 20(4), 402-411. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361315585948 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2273528067
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  13. Francesco Craig , Flaviana Tenuta , Andrea De Giacomo , Antonio Trabacca , Angela Costabile (2021). A systematic review of problematic video-game use in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 82, 101726. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101726 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3124959316
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  14. Christopher R. Engelhardt , Micah O Mazurek , Joseph Hilgard (2017). Pathological game use in adults with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder . PeerJ, 5, e3393. PeerJ.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3393 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2707229702
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  15. Howard C. Shane , Patti Ducoff Albert (2008). Electronic Screen Media for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Results of a Survey . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(8), 1499-1508. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-007-0527-5 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2002708650
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  17. Georgia Pavlopoulou , Dagmara Dimitriou (2019). ‘I don't live with autism; I live with my sister’. Sisters’ accounts on growing up with their preverbal autistic siblings . Research in Developmental Disabilities, 88, 1-15. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2019.01.013 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2918128686
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  20. Jennifer A MacMullin , Yona Lunsky , Jonathan Weiss (2016). Plugged in: Electronics use in youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorder . Autism, 20(1), 45-54. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361314566047 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2021194712
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  22. Gary Yu Hin Lam , Sujay Sabnis , Maria Migueliz Valcarlos , Jennifer R. Wolgemuth (2021). A Critical Review of Academic Literature Constructing Well-Being in Autistic Adults . Autism in Adulthood, 3(1), 61-71. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2020.0053 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3129551381
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  23. Csikszentmihalyi M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience . Flow: The psychology of optimal experience.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  24. Hee Joung Seok , Jeoung Min Lee , Chi-Yong Park , Ji Young Park (2018). Understanding internet gaming addiction among South Korean adolescents through photovoice . Children and Youth Services Review, 94, 35-42. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.09.009 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2891810937
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  25. Romain Coutelle , Luisa Weiner , Cecilia Paasche , Julien Pottelette , Gilles Bertschy , Carmen M. Schröder et al. (2022). Autism Spectrum Disorder and Video Games: Restricted Interests or Addiction? International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20(4), 2243-2264. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s11469-021-00511-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3134119076
    Crossref OpenAlex
  26. Melissa H Kuo , Gael I Orsmond , Wendy J Coster , Ellen S Cohn (2014). Media use among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder . Autism, 18(8), 914-923. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361313497832 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2100139006
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  27. Jan DiSantostefano (2009). International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) . The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 5(1), 56-57. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2008.09.020 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2051222283
    OpenAlex
  29. Caroline E. Robertson , Simon Baron-Cohen (2017). Sensory perception in autism . Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 18(11), 671-684. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1038/nrn.2017.112 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2758053316
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  30. Micah O Mazurek , Colleen Wenstrup (2013). Television, Video Game and Social Media Use Among Children with ASD and Typically Developing Siblings . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(6), 1258-1271. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-012-1659-9 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2059266779
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  31. Fernanda Dreux Miranda Fernandes , Thaís Helena Ferreira Santos , Cibelle Albuquerque de la Higuera Amato , Daniela Regina Molini-Avejonas (2010). Recursos de informática na terapia fonoaudiológica de crianças do espectro autístico . Pró-Fono Revista de Atualização Científica, 22(4), 415-420. FapUNIFESP (SciELO).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1590/s0104-56872010000400009 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2107788372
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  32. Christopher R. Engelhardt , Micah O Mazurek , Kristin Sohl (2013). Media Use and Sleep Among Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, or Typical Development . Pediatrics, 132(6), 1081-1089. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-2066 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2115271459
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  33. Georgia Pavlopoulou (2020). A Good Night’s Sleep: Learning About Sleep From Autistic Adolescents’ Personal Accounts . Frontiers in Psychology, 11(2020), 583868. Frontiers Media SA.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.583868 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3115088354
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  34. Ingrid Maria Hopkins , Michael W. Gower , Trista A. Perez , Dana S. Smith , Franklin R. Amthor , F. Casey Wimsatt et al. (2011). Avatar Assistant: Improving Social Skills in Students with an ASD Through a Computer-Based Intervention . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(11), 1543-1555. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1179-z OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2101532035
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  35. Darius Zayeni , Jean-Philippe Raynaud , Alexis Revet (2020). Therapeutic and Preventive Use of Video Games in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Systematic Review . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 36-36. Frontiers Media SA.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00036 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3004678209
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  36. Adam Lobel , Rutger C. M. E. Engels , Lisanne L. Stone , William J. Burk , Isabela Granic (2017). Video Gaming and Children’s Psychosocial Wellbeing: A Longitudinal Study . Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46(4), 884-897. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10964-017-0646-z OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2591093998
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  37. Patricia H. Kloosterman , Elizabeth Kelley , Wendy M. Craig , James D.A. Parker , Christine Javier (2013). Types and experiences of bullying in adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 7(7), 824-832. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2013.02.013 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2109967980
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  38. Gallup J. (2016). Education and training in autism and developmental disabilities . Education and training in autism and developmental disabilities, 223.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  39. Melissa H Kuo , Joyce Magill-Evans , Lonnie Zwaigenbaum (2015). Parental mediation of television viewing and videogaming of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their siblings . Autism, 19(6), 724-735. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361314552199 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2134874884
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  40. C. Goh , C. Jones , A. Copello (2019). A Further Test of the Impact of Online Gaming on Psychological Wellbeing and the Role of Play Motivations and Problematic Use . Psychiatric Quarterly, 90(4), 747-760. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s11126-019-09656-x OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2965500109
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  41. Anja Stiller , Thomas Mößle (2018). Media Use Among Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 5(3), 227-246. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40489-018-0135-7 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2796664773
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  42. Ouriel Grynszpan , Patrice L (Tamar) Weiss , Fernando Perez-Diaz , Eynat Gal (2014). Innovative technology-based interventions for autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis . Autism, 18(4), 346-361. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361313476767 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2165069154
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  43. Yemaya J. Halbrook , Aisling T. O’Donnell , Rachel M. Msetfi (2019). When and How Video Games Can Be Good: A Review of the Positive Effects of Video Games on Well-Being . Perspectives on Psychological Science, 14(6), 1096-1104. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1745691619863807 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2987291256
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  44. (2021). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) . In Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders (pp. 1401-1401). Springer International Publishing.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-91280-6_300515 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2283776972
    OpenAlex
  45. Philippa L Howard , Felicity Sedgewick (2021). ‘Anything but the phone!’: Communication mode preferences in the autism community . Autism, 25(8), 2265-2278. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613211014995 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3176767872
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  46. Jennifer Gallup , Christine Duff , Barbara Serianni , Adam Gallup (2016). An Exploration of Friendships and Socialization for Adolescents with Autism Engaged in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG) . Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 51(3), 223-237. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/215416471605100302 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2530475845
    OpenAlex
  47. Jianping Hu , Shuangju Zhen , Chengfu Yu , Qiuyan Zhang , Wei Zhang (2017). Sensation Seeking and Online Gaming Addiction in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Positive Affective Associations and Impulsivity . Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 699-699. Frontiers Media SA.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00699 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2611029478
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  48. Fengfeng Ke , Jewoong Moon (2018). Virtual collaborative gaming as social skills training for high‐functioning autistic children . British Journal of Educational Technology, 49(4), 728-741. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1111/bjet.12626 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2801510016
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  49. Fengfeng Ke , Jewoong Moon , Zlatko Sokolikj (2022). Virtual Reality–Based Social Skills Training for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Special Education Technology, 37(1), 49-62. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/0162643420945603 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3088459349
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  50. Sarah Kelly , Thomas Magor , Annemarie Wright (2021). The Pros and Cons of Online Competitive Gaming: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessing Young Players' Well-Being . Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 651530-651530. Frontiers Media SA.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651530 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3161485777
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  51. Daniela Villani , Claudia Carissoli , Stefano Triberti , Antonella Marchetti , Gabriella Gilli , Giuseppe Riva (2018). Videogames for Emotion Regulation: A Systematic Review . Games for Health Journal, 7(2), 85-99. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2017.0108 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2785360246
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  52. Kienast K. (2019). Time spent gaming weekly among children UK 2018 | Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274434/time‐spent‐gaming‐weekly‐among‐children‐in‐the‐uk‐by‐age/
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  53. McDonnell A. (2014). Good Autism Practice: Autism, Happiness and Wellbeing . Good Autism Practice: Autism, Happiness and Wellbeing, 38.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  54. Esmaeilzadeh Maghari Ali (2016). Social Research Methods .
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3217043955
    OpenAlex
  55. Richard Buchanan , Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1991). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience . Design Issues, 8(1), 80. JSTOR.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.2307/1511458 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4293872590
    OpenAlex
  56. Welman S. J. (2001). Research methodology . Research methodology.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  57. WHO. (2020). International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD‐11).
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  58. Bryman, Alan 1947-2017 (2001). Social research methods .
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W7005922941
    OpenAlex