The Impact of Macao's Gaming Industry on Family Life
An exploratory study
The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive situation analysis and an assessment of the needs of the people of Macao in terms of their psychological well-being. It describes the present situation with regard to the ways in which the gaming industry affects family life and challenges the psychological well-being of the residents of Macao. Action research and a key informant approach were the basic methodology for this study, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of the enabling and disabling processes in family life through the impact of the gaming industry. Textual data were analysed qualitatively for four dimensions. Four themes emergedfamily functioning, relationships, child care and psycho-social issues in the family. Although not the only influence, it seems the gaming industry does indeed affect the family unit and the psychological well-being of individuals and groups both directly and indirectly .
