Agueda Gómez Carbonero chose a difficult topic for her doctoral thesis in video game design and development at Spain's Jaume I University. “She wanted to create a video game that served a purpose beyond entertainment,” she explains. The results obtained after a long period of work are Horizon: Resilience, a mobile phone game for people suffering from mild and moderate depression. Getting started was the hardest part. Video games have always had a complicated relationship with psychology. It is well known that they can eventually create addictions that require clinical help, but there are many ways to harness their potential to help treat mental health issues such as stress and anxiety. Very little effort has been made. “They are very powerful and underappreciated tools,” says Gomez, who completed her dissertation with the help of a psychology doctor.
Horizon: Resilience The work begins with the story of a family who leaves home and moves to the forest, where they have to do everything from scratch. A green field and an interface similar to a traditional mobile phone game appear on the user's screen. “The goal is to develop the town by increasing the resilience of its residents,” explains Gomez. In order to build buildings and attract more residents, the player develops his four elements: motivation to change, cognitive flexibility, behavioral activation (moving, walking down the street), and promotion to earn points (game (called “energy”). of positive emotions. Energy can also be obtained by answering daily questionnaires that assess the psychological state of patients and players, by going to the library to learn techniques to cope with depression, or by talking to the townspeople.
There is a growing body of scientific research supporting this type of game. A review of studies conducted in 2022 by experts from the Autonomous University of Madrid and Imperial College London found that “overall, video game-based interventions were useful and effective in treating depression.” It is stated that. “However, the limited number of studies identified in this systematic review highlights that video gaming for depression is a new field of research.”
This is the same conclusion reached in other studies. Certain video games, including most commercial games, may have a positive effect on people with depression, but there is not enough data to confirm this trend.U.S. authorities cleared him only two years ago. Endeavor Rxa video game that doctors can prescribe to treat children with attention-deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity (ADHD)
first step
It is difficult to determine which components make video games suitable for patients with mental health problems. “The research is still in its early stages, and no studies have focused on which isolation factors are appropriate for which conditions,” Gomez laments. Endeavor Rx Developers say they use sensory stimulation to stimulate specific areas of the brain that play a key role in attention. It is equipped with algorithms that measure performance in real time and customize treatment for each patient, and usage time is limited to 25 minutes, 5 days a week. For minors, there is a mode where only parents can access certain features. “The most important thing to judge the usefulness of this kind of game is the subsequent analysis, to verify whether it really achieves the change you are looking for in the patient,'' says psychologist Juan. Antonio Roman explains.
“Video game-based interventions are not a substitute for psychopharmacological treatment or psychotherapeutic follow-up, which is the cornerstone of depression management,” the above-mentioned study notes, and the subsequent effects of these tools. We focus on several benefits. It does not rely on face-to-face counseling and is cheaper and easier to implement, especially for “people who live in remote areas or in areas with a limited number of health care providers.”
games like animal crossingThe game, which requires players to build a city from scratch and has soared in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic, may be beneficial for mental health, as various studies have shown. there is.Others, e.g. Mine Craftusers can build all kinds of structures using blocks, or Pokemon GOThere is also mention of , which brought millions of children onto the streets.
However, the world of video games is vast and addiction is a constant threat. Most games are designed to keep players hooked for as long as possible, and all sorts of techniques are used to achieve this. As a result, use and addiction have increased over the years. “When you experience an emotionally stressful situation and are looking for ways to feel better, you may end up finding dysfunctional solutions, such as excessive use of video games or gambling. This may make you feel better in the short term, but it can have negative effects in the long term,” explains Roman.
Psychologists still don't recommend video games to their patients, but they don't think it's unlikely. “They have an amazing power to push us to do things we wouldn't otherwise do,” he says. “And they provide a clear formula for achieving a goal, which is very helpful, because we often try to achieve things, but the outcome is always uncertain. No matter how hard we try. However, in such a game, the outcome of our actions is always very predictable.''
calming effect animal crossing
The fact that a person plays this type of video game does not necessarily mean that the person suffers from a certain medical condition. “There may be a correlation. That is, some people may be able to relieve anxiety thanks to a gentle game, but there are certainly many people who play to entertain themselves and don't feel anxious or depressed.” ” explains the psychologist. Animal Crossing: New HorizonsFor example, its ability to calm anxiety has been analyzed. The game, one of Nintendo's latest hits, has been the focus of a study conducted by two researchers from the University of Singapore during the pandemic, with the researchers finding that “playing the game can improve autonomy. It helped satisfy a variety of psychological needs such as sexuality, relatedness, and competence.” Explained by self-determination theory. ”
“Players stopped playing games when they found that their psychological needs were being interfered with or better met by other activities,” the researchers continued. In other words, someone may play a lot for a certain period of time due to specific needs that arise at that moment, but over time it may end. “Our findings provide support that video games can provide psychological relief in stressful situations by providing people with an opportunity to meet key psychological needs,” the study said. concludes.
For now, Gomez is hoping for more funding to continue developing the game. This was because the funding provided by the Ph.D. only allowed him to develop the first test. “We need more funding for research. If this video game is funded, we can hire experts or work with private companies to develop these tools so that psychologists can use them in their consultations.” We can't stay at the demo stage.”
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