Introducing Gamification for Advancing Current Mental Healthcare and Treatment Practices

Abstract

AbstractGiven the alarming rise in the mental health issues among individuals of all age groups, it somehow becomes imperative to find novel solutions to deal with the existing global mental health crisis. Since affective and cognitive processes largely define our behavioral goals and tendencies, gamification has garnered immense interest among the mental health research community as a potential methodology to help modify any maladaptive perception, cognition, and behavior. Applying gaming in a therapeutic environment, undoubtedly, comes with a diverse set of advantages, which ranges from automatic tapping into the internal psychological mechanisms to increasing motivation to change, among many others. Thus, the advances in gamification elements have provided a straight revelation about the future directions of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of various mental health conditions. With a brief introduction to the existing application of gamification in primary healthcare sectors, the present chapter will, therefore, aim to extend the scope of gamification to improve mental health issues. An extensive review of literature in this field will further educate readers about the popular domains in mental health, which currently apply gamification app technologies. This chapter will also attempt to provide empirical instances to suggest how gamification can improve the non-compliance rate to therapies as well as motivation to induce behavioral changes. The primary focus of this chapter is to enlighten its readers on how gamification using mobile and computer apps can digitally enhance and aid the present-day mental health diagnosis and treatment practices. This advancement will hopefully allow mental health experts, therapists, and psychologists to move beyond traditional psychotherapeutic interventions and diagnostic methods to a better and futuristic approach to understanding and treating clinical disorders. Furthermore, future implications and challenges will also be discussed.KeywordsMental healthGamification and mental healthMental health appsVR exposure therapyGamified appsComputerized CBTE-therapy