Educational game reduced teen depression symptoms in 532-student trial

An educational video game produced a sustained improvement in depressive symptoms in a Connecticut clinical trial involving 532 high school students aged 16 to 19. Researchers assigned 269 students to PlaySmart and 263 to active-control games without therapeutic content. The PlaySmart group used the self-guided program for one hour a week over six weeks.

At the 12-month follow-up, participants assigned to PlaySmart showed a significant reduction in depressive-symptom scores measured with the standard PHQ-8 questionnaire. They also became more willing to seek professional psychological help. Researchers found the benefits were consistent across sex, ethnicity, grade level, food insecurity and family histories of addiction.

The game places students inside branching scenarios where they can identify possible signs of depression, decide whether to approach an adult during a crisis, and rewind choices to explore healthier alternatives. Because it does not require a clinician in the classroom, the program could be easier for schools to deliver. The findings come from one state, however, so wider research would be needed to establish how well the approach travels.