Video Games and Play Therapy
In a world where technology and mental health are increasingly intertwined, video game play therapy emerges as a groundbreaking approach. Imagine a therapy session where children and adolescents don’t just talk but play their way to healing.
Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses play as a way of helping children and adolescents express and process their emotions, cope with stress, and overcome trauma. Play therapy can take many forms, such as using toys, art, music, or games.
Video games are not only a popular form of entertainment, but also a powerful medium for storytelling, creativity, and learning. They can stimulate the imagination, foster social skills, and provide a sense of achievement and control. Video games can also help children and adolescents deal with difficult issues, such as anxiety, depression, anger, grief, or low self-esteem.
Video games can be be used in play therapy as a way of helping children and adolescents express and process their emotions, cope with stress, and overcome trauma. Play therapy can take many forms, such as using toys, art, music, or games. In this article, we will focus on how video games can be used as a tool for play therapy.
Once considered mere entertainment, video games have transformed into powerful mediums for storytelling, learning, and therapy. They stimulate the imagination, foster social skills, and offer a sense of control that can be vital in therapeutic settings.
How does video game play therapy work?
Video game play therapy is based on the premise that playing video games can facilitate the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client. The therapist can use video games as a way of building rapport, observing the client’s behavior and emotions, and providing feedback and guidance. The therapist can also use video games as a way of exploring the client’s issues, such as identifying triggers, coping strategies, and goals.
Selection of Games: Therapists carefully choose games that resonate with the client’s interests and therapeutic goals. Whether it’s an adventure game to explore emotions or a puzzle game to enhance problem-solving, the choice of the game is crucial.
– Customizing Settings: Each client is unique, and therapists can adjust the difficulty level, pace, or theme of the game to match the client’s abilities and therapeutic needs.
– Incorporation of Techniques: Video games in therapy are often used in conjunction with traditional therapeutic techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness exercises, to create a holistic healing experience.
Video game play therapy can be done individually or in groups, depending on the needs and preferences of the client. The therapist can choose from a variety of video games, such as adventure, puzzle, simulation, or role-playing games. The therapist can also customize the video game settings, such as the difficulty level, the pace, or the theme. The therapist can also use video games as a way of introducing or reinforcing other therapeutic techniques, such as relaxation exercises, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or mindfulness.
What are the benefits of video game play therapy?
Video game play therapy can offer several benefits for children and adolescents who struggle with emotional or behavioral problems.
The use of video games in therapy offers a wide array of benefits, particularly for children and adolescents who might find traditional therapy intimidating. Here are some of the main advantages of video game play therapy:
– Development of Skills: Through gaming, clients can develop essential life skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, communication, and empathy.
– Assistance with Emotional Issues: Video games provide a safe space for exploring and expressing emotions like anxiety, depression, anger, and grief.
– Enhancing Self-esteem: Completing challenges and receiving positive feedback within the game can significantly boost the client’s self-confidence and sense of achievement.
– Video games can provide a safe and fun environment for the client to express and explore their feelings.
– Clients develop skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, communication, cooperation, and empathy.
– Video games can help the client cope with stress and frustration by providing a sense of challenge and mastery.
– Clients can help the client boost their self-confidence and self-esteem by providing positive feedback and rewards.
– Clients enhance their creativity and imagination by creating their own characters, stories, or worlds. This allows for metaphors, artistic representations of therapy-related topics (emotions, people, places, events) to be displayed.
Who can benefit from video game play therapy?
- Video games can also help children and adolescents deal with difficult issues, such as anxiety, depression, anger, grief, or low self-esteem.
- Video game play therapy is based on the premise that playing video games can facilitate the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client. The therapist can use video games as a way of building rapport, observing the client’s behavior and emotions, and providing feedback and guidance. The therapist can also use video games as a way of exploring the client’s issues, such as identifying triggers, coping strategies, and goals.
- Video game play therapy can be done individually or in groups, depending on the needs and preferences of the client. The therapist can choose from a variety of video games, such as adventure, puzzle, simulation, or role-playing games. The therapist can also customize the video game settings, such as the difficulty level, the pace, or the theme. The therapist can also use video games as a way of introducing or reinforcing other therapeutic techniques, such as relaxation exercises, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or mindfulness.
- Video game play therapy can offer several benefits for children and adolescents who struggle with emotional or behavioral problems. Some of these benefits are:
- Video games can provide a safe and fun environment for the client to express and explore their feelings.
- Video games can help the client develop skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, communication, cooperation, and empathy.
- Video games can help the client cope with stress and frustration by providing a sense of challenge and mastery.
- Video games can help the client boost their self-confidence and self-esteem by providing positive feedback and rewards.
- Video games can help the client enhance their creativity and imagination by allowing them to create their own characters, stories, or worlds.
- Video game play therapy can be beneficial for children and adolescents who experience various emotional or behavioral problems, such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), learning disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bereavement, abuse or neglect, family conflict, social isolation, or bullying.
Research and Examples of Video Game Play Therapy
There are some case studies that illustrate the use and benefits of video game play therapy for different clients and issues. For example:
- A study by Ceranoglu (2010) described how he used various commercial video games, such as Super Mario Bros., Guitar Hero, and Halo 3, with children and adolescents who had diagnoses of ADHD, depression, anxiety, or conduct disorder3. He reported that video games helped him to build rapport, observe behavior and emotions, provide feedback and guidance, explore conflicts and goals, and enhance motivation and engagement in therapy3.
- A study by MacIntosh et al. (2020) evaluated the feasibility of a novel intervention that combined a co-created gaming technology integrating evidence-based biofeedback and solution-focused coaching strategies to support therapy engagement and efficacy at home for young people with cerebral palsy5. They found that the intervention was feasible with modifications, and that it improved body function outcomes (such as wrist extension and grip strength) and activities and participation outcomes (such as hand function and goal attainment)5.
- A study by Lai et al. (2022) examined the video game play of two youths using a case study approach. They analyzed the gameplay videos using a social semiotics framework to understand how the youths learned from playing different genres of games, such as action-adventure, role-playing, simulation, strategy, and puzzle games6. They found that the youths developed various skills and competencies through playing games, such as literacy, numeracy, spatial reasoning, problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking6.
Sources: frontiersin.org, webmd.com, apa.org, psychologytoday.com, journals.plos.org, telrp.springeropen.com, apa.org, journals.plos.org, telrp.springeropen.com, wiley.com, psychologytoday.com, pubmed.com, doi.org
Level Up Your Mind with Video Game Play Therapy
Video game play therapy is an innovative and effective way of using play as a healing modality. By combining the fun and immersive aspects of gaming with the therapeutic benefits of play therapy, video game play therapy can help clients overcome various emotional and behavioral challenges. If you are curious about this approach or want to learn more, contact us today for a free consultation!
I hope this information was helpful. You can find more details about each point in the article listed below:
28 Best Therapy Games for Healing Through Play – PositivePsychology.com Video Games Can Be Used as a Therapy – Here’s How | Psychreg Why I Play Video Games With My Therapy Clients Frontiers | Therapeutic and Preventive Use of Video Games in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Review | Psychiatry Video Games Could Treat Mental Illness
