Psychotherapy through video game to target illness related problematic behaviors of children with brain tumor

Abstract

With the rapid development in serious games, health games have been demonstrated as a useful tool to enhance treatment effects with respect to some problematic behaviors. Every health game has its own game design which can affect the health in a positive manner. In this paper we fixed Imagery Psychotherapy into game design and then developed the 3D Graphical Imagery Psychotherapy video game with cognitive behavioral effects on the children suffering from brain tumor. This therapeutic game attempts to provide a new way to target the psychological illness related to this disease. Experimental user tests were conducted in three hospitals of Pakistan analyzing the different problematic behaviors of a cancer patient before and after the therapy application. The outcome of the study proved that 3D Graphical Imagery Therapy game has been effective in recovering from psychological illness related to brain tumor. The results showed a significant improvement regarding the behaviors, hence this game design found to be effective.