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Electronic Games
The prevalence and popularity of video games in recent years has created a wealth of psychological studies centered around them. While the bulk of those studies have covered video game violence and addiction, some practitioners are becoming interested in including such games as therapeutic tools.
Most of the current research relating to electronic games in therapeutic settings are focused on alleviating the symptoms of depression, primarily in teens and adolescents. However, some games have been developed specifically for children with anxiety[1] and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),[2] and the same company intends to create electronic treatments for children on the autism spectrum, and those living with Major Depressive Disorder, among other disorders.[3] The favored approach for treatment at this time is through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).[4] While this method is effective, it is not without its limits (for example: boredom with the material, patients forgetting or not practicing techniques outside of a session, or the accessibility of care).[5] It is these areas that therapists hope to address through the use of video games. Preliminary research has been done with small groups, but the conclusions drawn warrant studying the issue in greater depth.[6]
Role-playing games (original Play Therapy text)
Practitioners are also using role-playing games (RPG) as part of therapeutic interventions. These are games where players assume roles and outcomes depend on the actions taken by the player in a virtual world.[7] This type of game is relatively new so its benefits are still subject to research.[8][9] This early, however, there are already experts who cite advantages when it is applied to specific cases. For example, there is the perceived efficacy of this type of treatment for preadolescents and boys because the adventure inherent in RPGs can serve as a vehicle for clinicians to explore "issues of power, control, popularity, perceived importance, and the belief that they can be bigger, stronger, smarter, or more popular than they actually are."[10] In addition, psychologists are also able to gain insights into the elements of the capability of the patient to create or experiment with an alternate identity. There are also those who underscore the ease in the treatment process since playing an RPG as a treatment situation is often experienced as an invitation to play, which makes the process safe and without risk of exposure or embarrassment.[11]
There are also studies that found role-playing games, when combined with the Adlerian Play therapy (AdPT) techniques, lead to increased psychosocial development.[12]
- ^ "Child Anxiety Tales - Camp Cope-A-Lot". copingcatparents.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ Robbins,STAT, Rebecca. "This Video Game May Help Kids with ADHD". Scientific American. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ "Programs & Products". Akili Interactive. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ "What Is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and How Is It Used to Treat Anxiety and Depression? | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA". adaa.org. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ^ Granic, Isabela; Lobel, Adam; Engels, Rutger C. M. E. (January 2014). "The Benefits of Playing Video Games" (PDF). American Psychologist. 69: 75. doi:0.1037/a0034857 – via American Psychological Association.
{{cite journal}}: Check|doi=value (help) - ^ Ceranoglu, T. Atilla (2010). "Video Games in Psychotherapy" (PDF). Review of General Psychology. 14: 145. doi:10.1037/a0019439 – via American Psychological Association.
- ^ Maarse, F.J.; Akkerman, A.E.; Brand, A.N.; Mulder, L.J.M. (2006). Clinical Assessment, Computerized Methods, and Instrumentation. Lisse: Swets & Zeitlinger Publishers. p. 59. ISBN 9781135302634.
- ^ "Therapeutic Gaming". Bodhana Group. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "About RPG Research". RPG Research. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ Rubin, Lawrence (2007). Using Superheroes in Counseling and Play Therapy. New York: Springer Publishing Company LLC. p. 230. ISBN 978-0826102690.
- ^ Meersand, Pamela; Gilmore, Karen (2018). Play Therapy: A Psychodynamic Primer for the Treatment of Young Children. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association Publishing. p. 79. ISBN 9781615370436.
- ^ Crenshaw, David; Stewart, Anne (2015). Play Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. New York: The Guilford Press. p. 45. ISBN 9781462517503.