Digital Games in Young Adults´ Mental Health Rehabilitation: Perceptions of Professionals & Experts

Abstract

Millions of people are suffering from mental health issues worldwide, while service providers are looking for effective, low threshold solutions suitable for a new generation of digital natives. Game-based solutions show promising results yet utilising them in everyday mental healthcare still requires more research, especially considering mental health professionals, one of the primary user groups.

The primary goal of the authors was to learn more about the perceptions of mental health professionals and gamification experts and the potential and risks of digital games in young adults’ mental health rehabilitation, their requirements for a successful implementation and their attitude towards digital games in general.

The process included three stages: A literature review clarifying the background and state of earlier research on the topic. Focus groups with mental health professionals, held at Coronaria Sähäkkä, to learn more about their attitude, knowledge and ideas and a series of interviews with mixed experts on gamification and serious games to gather their opinions and valuable information. Mental health professionals had various perceptions of digital games. They prefer digital games to be tailored to the needs of mental health rehabilitation and a better overview of the existing solutions. Information concerning digital games should be focused on the needs of mental health rehabilitation. When it comes to training, a practical setting offering the possibility to try out digital games for themselves is in favour.