Video Game Therapy

Happy World Autism Month! To celebrate this, the focus of this blog post will be Mixed Reality Therapy Games and how they help children with special needs, specifically children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism Spectrum Disorder "refers to a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences" (What is Autism?, 2012). Mixed Reality Therapy Games are a combination of virtual reality and augmented reality technology, where it is possible to create and develop worlds in which real and computer-created elements are merged (Aresti-Bartolome & Garcia-Zapirain, 2014).

I was first introduced to this technology during my 3rd year placement at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. I was placed in The Ronald McDonald Playroom, a non-clinical space for children aged 2 to 19 to relax during, in between, or before/after appointments. The RECE who runs the room was very involved with other teams in the hospital, such as the Children's Advisory Council. It consists of children aged 3-13, who work with staff to improve services in the hospital (Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital - Child and family centered care ). During my weeks at placement, an event was being held for the Children's Advisory Council and their families to test out video games created by the research team at Holland Bloorview. The main goal of these games was to determine if it could be played by all children, regardless of their abilities. The night consisted of rotations between rooms with different games as families travelled through and played them together. At the end of the rotation, the children would talk to the researcher who created it, they would rate the game and tell them what they should improve on.

Mixed Reality Therapy Games are customizable, making it possible for children to have a video game that caters specifically to their needs. For children with ASD, this can focus on their communication skills, vocabulary, and the anxiety produced by social situations (Aresti-Bartolome & Garcia-Zapirain, 2014). It can also help reach goals related to their physical health and occupational therapy goals, through immersive and interactive game play that requires children to mimic therapeutic movements (Mixed Reality Therapy Games). Whether the game is a virtual world for children to communicate and develop relationships in, or a game that requires the child to make specific physical movements; children will believe they are simply playing a video game, when they are working towards goals and developing skills.

Mixed Reality Therapy Games are incredibly beneficial for children, while also fun for them to play. For all children with special needs, this is a great way to combine leisure activities with therapy.