This talk will be the presentation of the findings from an early stage research project looking at the potential to use of games as a therapeutic tool for mental health patients who are diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. Unlike projects that seek to build a custom game experience this project is looking at the potential to use successful games games as tools for mental health therapy.
By examining fifteen principles that are inherently integrated into games and are aligned with cognitive-behavioral therapy practices we can begin to see how some games offer specific opportunities at different periods in the cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment of a patient.
Attendees to this session will gain three key takeaways useful for those seeking to use games in mental & emotional health contexts. First, is a deeper appreciation for the opportunities to potentially use off-the-shelf games. Second, is a novel look at what games offer to patients, such that even those building custom experiences may find new design practices, borrowed from recognized commercial games, that they can incorporate into their work. Finally, attendees, can look at how examinations of off-the-shelf games may be useful toward better establishing the inherent health opportunities in games released initially as everyday entertainment. Such opportunities cover many areas of activity across the games for health spectrum.
