Video games for mental health

Abstract

In recent years, mental illness has become recognized as a major disease burden globally. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability around the globe [1]. But not everyone has access to care. This has created a need for innovative approaches to close the mental-health access gap, spurring interest in new digital tools that provide on-demand, scalable, and affordable care. One possible solution: video games, which offer several characteristics that are well suited to the context of mental health [2], including interactivity, aesthetics, and narrative. However, many open questions remain about the impact of game-based interventions, the effects of different game elements on efficacy and experience, and the implementation of video games in a clinical context. As part of the CHI PLAY conference series, we have organized two workshops (2017 and 2018), inviting researchers and practitioners from communities such as HCI, mental health, and game development to discuss he opportunities and challenges of using video games for mental health. For both workshops, we were interested in position papers and studies addressing contemporary topics in the field, such as innovative game design; technologies for promoting, assessing, or treating mental health; reflections on the development process of games for mental health; user-centered studies involving clients, stakeholders, or caregivers; and playful interaction design for the therapeutic context.