Using Mobile-Based Games as a Means for the Self-treatment of Depression and Anxiety in Youth

摘要

Long term cases of mental health conditions in Australians generally manifest before the age of 14 years old. Due to this statistic it is important to design cost effective approaches to allow young people the opportunity to self-treat the symptoms of their depression or anxiety. Furthermore, this paper aims to determine if providing these solutions in an age appropriate medium, through serious games on a mobile device, enhances the effectiveness of their treatment. A pilot study was performed to determine if playing serious games on a tablet device improved general mood and decreased heart rate in young Australians.