According to some boffins at the Oxford University department of Psychiatry, a game of Tetris is just what traumatized folk need to help them relax. As everyone knows, Tetris is probably the only good thing to come out of communist Russia, and now it appears that the classic block arrangement game has cognitive vaccine properties.
A cognitive vaccine is explained by the researchers. “We proposed the development of computerized, low intensity, intervention against PTSD flashbacks for use as a preventative mental health strategy. Specifically, we proposed that playing computer games such as Tetris post-trauma may offer a ‘cognitive vaccine’ to inoculate against the build-up of flashbacks. This proposal was theory-driven from a cognitive neuroscience account of the sensory nature of trauma memory and interference with flashback formation.”
According to the research synopsis, flashbacks are a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder and preventative interventions are lacking. The theory goes that Tetris can act as a cognitive vaccine which effectively takes the victim’s mind off the trauma they just experienced and thereby reduces the likelihood of flashbacks further down the line.
The research experiment was conducted by showing three groups of participants video footage of death and injury. The groups then completed one of the following tasks: (1) no-task control condition (2) Tetris (3) Pub Quiz. Flashback experiences were then monitored for one week following the exposure.
In order to assess the level of effectiveness for Tetris as a cognitive vaccine, there were two experiments. The first allowed the groups to complete tasks 30 minutes after the traumatic film. Tetris players experienced a reduction in traumatic flashbacks whereas pub quiz players experienced an increase in traumatic flashbacks, as measured against the control group.
The second experiment left four hours between the traumatic film and the tasks. Tetris players again experienced a reduction in flashbacks when measured against the control group, whilst Pub Quiz players experienced no change.
Drawing conclusions, the study suggests that computer games can have differential effects post-trauma, although this is limited to certain types of games, as evidenced by the differing effects of Tetris and Pub Quiz. The suggestion is that since Tetris had beneficial effects at four hours post-trauma, there is a feasible window of opportunity to deliver post-trauma ‘cognitive vaccines’ to those exposed traumatic events.
The full research paper can be accessed on the PLoS ONE website. It provides a rather interesting and lengthy read regarding the application of computer games as cognitive vaccines.
Discuss games as therapeutic measures on the MyGaming forum.
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