Understanding the Influence of Immersion on the Post-Work Recovery Potential of Digital Games

Recovering after work is critical to avoid the negative impacts of work-related stress on one's mental and physical wellbeing. A post-work activity that can promote recovery is playing digital games. Theoretical accounts in this area suggest that immersion might be an important mechanism underlying the restorative effects of gaming. However, the processes by which gaming supports recovery are still poorly understood and have not been tested empirically, giving players limited information on how to maximise the recovery benefits of their gaming episodes. We conducted five studies to investigate the influence of immersion on post-work recovery. Study 1 demonstrated cross-sectional relationships between dimensions of immersion and post-work recovery, as well as providing qualitative data indicating that players actively curate immersive experiences to achieve recovery (a process termed 'immersion optimisation'). Study 2, using a pre-post design, demonstrated predictive relationships between immersion and changes in recovery variables. Study 3 used laddering interviews to identify a range of immersion optimisation strategies used by players in which game features are leveraged to promote recovery via the experience of immersion. Study 4 sought to quantify a subset of these strategies using mediation analysis, though no such relationships were observed. Finally, in Study 5, we conducted a thematic analysis to illustrate the factors that influence the effectiveness of immersion optimisation strategies. This thesis makes two primary contributions. Firstly, the thesis provides empirical data demonstrating that immersion shapes the recovery potential of post-work gaming episodes, improving our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the restorative qualities of digital games. Secondly, the thesis elucidates how players can leverage the immersive potential of digital games to achieve post-work recovery, as well as the boundary conditions influencing the effectiveness of these immersion optimisation strategies.