Explorando o potencial terapêutico dos videogames

Abstract

Video games are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in today's world. Additionally, they also play a role in school education and the training of various professionals, ranging from surgeons to military pilots. Highlighting other possibilities for the use of video games, this article aims to analyze the available scientific literature that underscores the potential of video games to promote mental health and well-being. To this end, an exploratory and narrative literature review was conducted. Articles for analysis were retrieved from the databases: Portal de Periódicos da Capes, Web of Science, and BVS (Virtual Health Library) + Lilac Plus. The discussion identified benefits of video games related to the promotion of well-being and the reduction of symptoms of various mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Indeed, the benefits are real, provided that certain contextual conditions are met. However, to complement the theoretical understanding of the phenomenon, further research is needed to verify, demonstrate, and criticallly examine the efficacy of video games as a therapeutic tool more comprehensively.