New Video Games Hope to Boost Mental Health

Following the popularity of Nintendo’s Brain Age, a group of game developers have come up with the idea of using video games as a way of boosting mental and emotional health.

One such developer is Mark Baldwin, who works as a Psychology professor at McGill University. He has designed a video game entitled “MindHabits Booster”. The game, which is available at www.mindhabits.com, aims to help address issues of insecurity and stress by training players to “look for acceptance and ignore rejection.”

A study conducted by West Virgina University and supported by Konami Digital Entertainment claimed that consistent usage of the “Dance Dance Revolution” game “improved the health, attitudes, and behaviors of participating children.”

Researchers at the University of Rochester recently reported finding that children and adults play video games because they fulfill basic psychological needs such as opportunities for achievement, freedom and a sense of connection to others.

It always makes me feel better when I run across these kinds of news stories. There’s always ways to turn negatives into positives, and while I doubt any of these games will enjoy the kind of popularity that Grand Theft Auto does, it’s good to know they’re out there. I hope that schools jump at the chance to use these games as teaching and motivation tools.

Via | FoxNews