AUTHOR=Ferrari Manuela , Sabetti Judith , McIlwaine Sarah V. , Fazeli Sahar , Sadati S. M. Hani , Shah Jai L. , Archie Suzanne , Boydell Katherine M. , Lal Shalini , Henderson Joanna , Alvarez-Jimenez Mario , Andersson Neil , Nielsen Rune Kristian Lundedal , Reynolds Jennifer A. , Iyer Srividya N. 

TITLE=Gaming My Way to Recovery: A Systematic Scoping Review of Digital Game Interventions for Young People's Mental Health Treatment and Promotion

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Digital Health

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/digital-health/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2022.814248

DOI=10.3389/fdgth.2022.814248

ISSN=2673-253X

ABSTRACT=Digital games have wide appeal for young people, including those receiving mental health services. This review identifies the literature on videogame interventions for young people, ages 12-29, and maps the data on game use by those with mental health and substance use problems, focusing on evidence for the capacity of games to support treatment in youth mental health services. Scoping review methodology was used to identify and assess relevant studies. An adapted stepped care model, including four levels, or steps, based on illness manifestation and severity, was used as a conceptual framework for organizing target populations, mental health conditions and corresponding digital games, and study results. A total of 8,733 articles were screened, and 49 studies testing 32 games retained. An adapted stepped care model, including four levels, or steps, based on illness manifestation and severity, was used as a conceptual framework for organizing target populations, mental health conditions and corresponding digital games, and study results. Of These 49 selected studies included: 10 studies (20.4%) on mental health promotion/prevention, or education for undiagnosed youth (Step 0:7 games); 6 studies (12.2%) on at-risk groups or suspected mental problems (Step 1:5 games); 24 studies (49.0%) on mild to moderate mental conditions (Steps 2-3:16 games); and 9 studies (18.4%) focused on severe and complex mental conditions (Step 4:7 games); 24 studies (48.9%) on mild to moderate mental conditions (Steps 2-3:16 games); 5 studies (10.2%) on at-risk groups or suspected mental problems (Step 1: 4 games) and 11 studies (22.5%) on mental health promotion/prevention, or education for undiagnosed youth (Step 0:8 games). Two interventions were played by youth at more than one level of illness severity: the SPARX game (Steps 1,2-3,4,2-3,1) and Dojo (Steps 2-34 and 4 2-3), bringing the total game count to 35 with these repetitions. Findings support the potential integration of digital games in youth services based on study outcomes, user satisfaction, relatively high program retention rates and the potential usefulness of most games for mental health treatment or promotion/prevention. This review provides an important initial repository and evaluation of videogames for use in clinical settings concerned with youth mental health.