King5 News reports on video games that are being designed by psychologists to help players deal with emotional problems like anxiety and depression. Cheri Plevek tells King5, “You have quests that you do and you earn points by doing something as simple as getting up out of your chair and getting moving, to calling a friend, hugging yourself.” The US National Institute of Health is funding a study to research the effectiveness of one particular game, according to the report.
Psychologist Scott Bea tells King5 that games could appeal to patients who are reluctant to seek out treatment. “I think people resist less if it feels like a game, if it feels like fun. And we can train people even while they’re having fun.”
New video games may improve mental health (King5 News, July 28, 2014)
