Daydream has been selected for a feasibility study by the Pluryn centre for complex care questions. We’re very pleased to work with Pluryn on this study to measure the impact of a neurofeedback game on traumatized young adults. Below is an excerpt that explains its aims.
Coming year, the feasibility of Daydream as a relaxation videogame intervention for traumatized youths in residential care will be assessed in a collaborative project of Pluryn and Radboud University Nijmegen.
Youths in residential care have often experienced chronic, severe trauma. Left untreated, the psychological and behavioral problems associated with trauma are highly persistent and have a negative impact on youths’ development and social functioning. However, trauma-focused treatment is not consistently applied in residential care centers as it usually includes exposure techniques that could exacerbate trauma symptoms and trigger self-destructing behavior (e.g., self-mutilation, suicidal attempts) when youths are not yet stable enough to cope with their reactions when reminded to their traumatic experiences. An approach that has gained popularity in the treatment of PTSD and trauma, is the use of mindfulness-based relaxation interventions for stress reduction.
By using a Daydream as a relaxation videogame intervention, we aim to reduce youths’ symptoms of stress and trauma. Videogames form a novel way to engage youths into therapy, and expertly do what traditional interventions often fail to do: they intrinsically motivate youths. Videogames are able to teach youths techniques and skills, just as conventional treatment, but with less thinking and more doing. Not only do youths learn best by doing instead of memorizing, but also the cognitive load placed on players is less compared to cognitive-behavioural interventions such as traditional trauma-focused treatment.
We will conduct a pilot study as a first evaluation of the potential of Daydream as a relaxation intervention for these traumatized youths. Not only will its effects on symptoms of stress and trauma be examined, this study will also provide an extensive evaluation, including both user and practitioner evaluations.
There isn’t a webpage for the study yet, but you can find more information about Pluryn and the Radboud University by visiting the links below.
http://www.hoenderloo-groep.nl/
http://www.pluryn.nl/
http://devpsychopathologyru.nl/
