Exploring Emotional Changes Before and After Electronic Sports Participation in Older Persons Using Facial Expression Analysis

In recent years, electronic sports (esports) have gained popularity among older persons (aged 60 years and above) due to their potential to enhance cognitive abilities and promote social participation, thereby contributing to the prevention of frailty. Despite these promising advantages, the emotional impact of esports on this demographic remains underexplored. Additionally, most studies on esports rely on subjective assessments, such as questionnaires, which are time-consuming and prone to individual perceptual differences, posing challenges to maintaining objectivity. To address this limitation, a non-invasive approach leveraging facial expression analysis was adopted. An emotion recognition system was constructed to provide objective measurements and subsequently evaluated for its applicability to older persons. Emotional responses were quantified before and after esports participation, and the system's reliability was validated through comparisons with participant surveys. The findings indicate the constructed system can effectively predict emotions in older persons, as demonstrated by its alignment with participant survey results, offering a reliable and objective tool for future research. Furthermore, a significant increase in positive emotions was observed after participation, highlighting the potential emotional benefits of esports for this population. Further refinement and broader application of this system are recommended to enhance its practical utility and accuracy.