Paradise Island is a Mobile Game that Rewards Health-Positive Acts
Colin Smith — August 5, 2022 — Lifestyle
References: guardians.media.mit.edu & media.mit.edu
'MIT Media Lab,' the research division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, announced the release of a new mobile game titled 'Paradise Island.' Due to the nature of the fact that Paradise Island was created by a research team and not by game developers, the game places a large emphasis on a scientific purpose: improving players' mental health through engaging rewards systems.
Paradise Island sends individuals on real-world tasks that are shown to improve mental health, such as "walk for 20 minutes." The researchers behind the video game stated that it is based on the fields of cognitive behavioral therapy, and more specifically, behavioral activation. The developers stated that the game is designed to pull people with anhedonia out of depressive spirals by directly encouraging positive actions, which anhedonia patients often struggle with deciding to do themselves.
Paradise Island will be free for all users in order to encourage a better, healthier world.
Image Credit: MIT Media Lab
Paradise Island sends individuals on real-world tasks that are shown to improve mental health, such as "walk for 20 minutes." The researchers behind the video game stated that it is based on the fields of cognitive behavioral therapy, and more specifically, behavioral activation. The developers stated that the game is designed to pull people with anhedonia out of depressive spirals by directly encouraging positive actions, which anhedonia patients often struggle with deciding to do themselves.
Paradise Island will be free for all users in order to encourage a better, healthier world.
Image Credit: MIT Media Lab
Trend Themes
1. Behavior-activating Games - The use of games to promote positive actions among individuals facing mental health challenges offers opportunities for creating engaging and effective digital tools.
2. Mobile-based Mental Health Solutions - Mobile games designed for mental health purposes provide a scalable and accessible format for reaching a broad audience with therapeutic interventions.
3. Gamification of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Incorporating game mechanisms into cognitive behavioral therapy offers new opportunities to enhance adherence and engagement in therapeutic processes.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming Industry - The gaming industry has an opportunity to expand into healthcare markets and develop games that cater to different mental health conditions.
2. Healthcare Industry - Health professionals can integrate game-based interventions as part of their overall treatment plan and use such programs to engage patients better in their mental health management.
3. Tech Industry - The tech industry can develop new tools, such as games, that leverage scientific research to address societal health challenges more effectively.
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