Pass the Control(ler): Shifting of Power in Families Through Intergenerational Gaming.

Interpersonal power, an influential force in relationships, changes over time. Older adults may experience diminishing power as roles in the family shift, leading to negative physical and emotional outcomes. In this study, we examined the potential of joint video gameplay to build or restore power in intergenerational family relationships. Participants (n = 102) were asked to play video games together over a period of six weeks. Participants completed a modified version of the Interpersonal Power Inventory [34] before and after the treatment and responded to a series of open-ended questions post-treatment. Results indicate an increase in referent, expert, and informational power for older adults, and an increase of referent and reward power for younger adults. These findings suggest that with careful design and consideration of current and potential players, video games have the capacity to positively impact families, and social life in general, by generating positive distribution of power among family members.