New Brunswick-developed game aims to help children cope with anxiety

Fredericton, New Brunswick-based Reframe Games is developing a game called Guide that aims to help children cope with anxiety issues.

In Guide, players will follow a phoenix chick trying to escape a dark forest. Along the way, a ball of light will help the chick — and by extension, the player — understand how to cope with her anxiety over her scary predicament.

The light will also teach players that they are not alone in experiencing anxiety. Guide will also show players coping mechanisms that can be applied to real-world situations.

So far, Reframe’s six-member team has been testing the game with young people, primarily among nine to 13-year-olds, at eight clinics in the Fredericton area.

For greater mental health understanding, the team also regularly travels to various events across North America that focus on the psychological treatment of youth.

Reframe plans to release the game once sufficient data has been collected from the children. Specifically, Reframe intends to see how effective the game is at helping manage anxiety.

In addition to helping complete Guide, the data will also go towards future mental health-related games that Reframe plans to create.

Via: The Chronicle Herald