Empirical Evidence for the Outcomes of Therapeutic Video Games for Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders: Systematic Review

Barnes, Steven; Prescott, Julie

doi:10.2196/games.9530

Cited by 56 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Nevertheless, these studies have varied methodologies, which remain a limitation in the process of evaluating such games in a therapeutic context. Our results are in line with those from previous meta-analyses and literature reviews on serious games, which also found no consensus on which type of control group is the best to evaluate such games (26,64). The same issue occurs for the evaluation of commercially available video games.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Therapeutic and Preventive Use of Video Games in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Systematic Review

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Over the past decade, the use of commercial video games and serious games has developed in child and adolescent psychiatry. These games may become relevant alternatives or adjuncts to traditional psychotherapy, providing that their effectiveness is properly established. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the effectiveness of serious games and commercial video games in the treatment or prevention of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Methods: Medline's database was used to search articles published between January 2012 and July 2019. The following keywords were used for this search: "Video games" OR "Active video game" OR "serious gaming" OR "Serious game" OR "Exergame" AND "Child mental disorder" OR "Adolescent" OR "Child" AND "Therapy" OR "Prevention". Only comparative studies which targeted interventions on children and adolescents suffering from psychiatric disorders were included. Results: Twenty-two studies, focusing on a wide range of psychiatric conditions, met our inclusion criteria's: 14 evaluated serious games and 8 commercial games. All studies were randomized controlled trials but only two studies compared the intervention game to psychotherapeutic gold standard; other studies used a no-intervention control group or an alternative game as the control group. Eighteen studies reported significant improvements on the symptoms and test scores targeted. Conclusion: Serious games and commercially available video games can be an effective trajectory for psychotherapy in child and adolescent psychiatry. However, there is a lack of longitudinal studies which assess the sustained effects of these games, and standards for proper evaluation of their effectiveness are missing.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Therapeutic and Preventive Use of Video Games in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Systematic Review

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Not surprisingly, there is a growing body of literature that explores the advantages of playing digital games among players in different age groups, particularly in terms of improving attention span, memory, and problem-solving skills [ 32 ]; enhancing the ability of gamers to cope with failure [ 32 ] and manage emotions [ 32 ]; improving information retention [ 33 ]; facilitating deep learning [ 34 ]; supporting and promoting behavior change [ 35 ]; and promoting socialization [ 32 ]. Moreover, evidence suggests that games can be effectively used as therapeutic tools to support recovery from anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other disorders [ 36 - 42 ]. Finally, youths and primary care providers have identified video game technology as a valuable tool for early intervention and treatment [ 30 , 43 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that assess the accessibility, feasibility, and effectiveness of serious video games for use in mental health have been published [ 36 - 42 ]. However, these reviews focused on specific mental health conditions, mainly depression and anxiety [ 36 - 42 ], without reporting on other mental illnesses affecting youths, such as psychosis, eating disorders, and substance misuse. Moreover, some of these reviews assessed the effectiveness of digital games for mental health in mixed-age populations, which often included older adults.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Game Interventions for Youth Mental Health Services (Gaming My Way to Recovery): Protocol for a Scoping Review

Ferrari¹,

McIlwaine²,

Reynolds³

et al. 2020

JMIR Res Protoc

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Digital or video games are played by millions of adolescents and young adults around the world and are one of the technologies used by youths to access mental health services. Youths with mental health problems strongly endorse the use of technologies, including mobile and online platforms, to receive information, support their treatment journeys (eg, decision-making tools), and facilitate recovery. A growing body of literature explores the advantages of playing digital games for improving attention span and memory, managing emotions, promoting behavior change, and supporting treatment for mental illness (eg, anxiety, depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder). The research field has also focused on the negative impact of video games, describing potential harms related to aggression, addiction, and depression. To promote clarity on this matter, there is a great need for knowledge synthesis offering recommendations on how video games can be safely and effectively adopted and integrated into youth mental health services. Objective The Gaming My Way to Recovery scoping review project assesses existing evidence on the use of digital game interventions within the context of mental health services for youths (aged 11-29 years) using the stepped care model as the conceptual framework. The research question is as follows: For which youth mental health conditions have digital games been used and what broad objectives (eg, prevention, treatment) have they addressed? Methods Using the methodology proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, this scoping review will map the available evidence on the use of digital games for youths between 11 and 29 years old with mental health or substance use problems, or both. Results The review will bring together evidence-based knowledge to assist mental health providers and policymakers in evaluating the potential benefits and risks of these interventions. Following funding of the project in September 2018, we completed the search in November 2018, and carried out data screening and stakeholder engagement activities during preparation of the protocol. We will conduct a knowledge synthesis based on specific disorders, treatment level and modality, type of service, population, settings, ethical practices, and user engagement and offer recommendations concerning the integration of video game technologies and programs, future research and practice, and knowledge dissemination. Conclusions Digital game interventions employ unique, experiential, and interactive features that potentially improve skills and facilitate learning among players. Digital games may also provide a new treatment platform for youths with mental health conditions. Assessing current knowledge on video game technology and interventions may potentially improve the range of interventions offered by youth mental health services while supporting prevention, intervention, and treatment. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/13834

show abstract

“…Furthermore, novel research has focused on the impact of commercial games as health interventions, psychotherapy tools for assessment, and in teaching social skills [7]. In addition, a few reviews have been published to evaluate the effectiveness of video game technology in the treatment of different mental health conditions (eg, depression and anxiety) [8-10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gaming With Stigma: Analysis of Messages About Mental Illnesses in Video Games

Ferrari¹,

McIlwaine²,

Jordan³

et al. 2019

JMIR Ment Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundVideo game playing is a daily activity for many youths that replaces other media forms (eg, television); it serves as an important source of knowledge and can potentially impact their attitudes and behaviors. Researchers are, thus, concerned with the impact of video gaming on youth (eg, for promoting prosocial or antisocial behavior). Studies have also begun to explore players’ experience of gameplay and video game messages about violence, sexism, and racism; however, little is known about the impact of commercial video games in the sharing and shaping of knowledge, and messages about mental illness.ObjectiveThe aim of this review was to identify how mental illness, especially psychosis, is portrayed in commercial video games.MethodsWe performed keyword searches on games made available between January 2016 and June 2017 on Steam (a popular personal computer gaming platform). A total of 789 games were identified and reviewed to assess whether their game content was related to mental illness. At the end of the screening phase, a total of 100 games were retained.ResultsWe used a game elements framework (characters, game environment/atmosphere, goals, etc) to describe and unpack messages about mental health and illness in video games. The majority of the games we reviewed (97%, 97/100) portrayed mental illness in negative, misleading, and problematic ways (associating it with violence, fear, insanity, hopelessness, etc). Furthermore, some games portrayed mental illness as manifestations or consequences of supernatural phenomena or paranormal experiences. Mental illness was associated with mystery, the unpredictable, and as an obscure illness; its treatment was also associated with uncertainties, as game characters with mental illness had to undergo experimental treatment to get better. Unfortunately, little or no hope for recovery was present in the identified video games, where mental illness was often presented as an ongoing struggle and an endless battle with the mind and oneself.ConclusionsThe game elements of the identified commercial video games included mental illness, about which many perpetuated well-known stereotypes and prejudices. We discuss the key findings in relation to current evidence on the impact of media portrayals of mental illness and stigma. Furthermore, we reflect on the ability of serious video games to promote alternative messages about mental illness and clinical practices. Future research is needed to investigate the impact that such messages have on players and to explore the role that video games can play in fostering alternative messages to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

show abstract

Empirical Evidence for the Outcomes of Therapeutic Video Games for Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders: Systematic Review

Cited by 56 publications

References 53 publications

Therapeutic and Preventive Use of Video Games in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Systematic Review

Therapeutic and Preventive Use of Video Games in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Systematic Review

Digital Game Interventions for Youth Mental Health Services (Gaming My Way to Recovery): Protocol for a Scoping Review

Gaming With Stigma: Analysis of Messages About Mental Illnesses in Video Games

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About