Stretching capabilities: children with disabilities playing TV and computer games

Abstract

Intervention studies show that if children with disabilities play motion‐controlled TV and computer games for training purposes their motivation increases and their training becomes more intensive, but why this happens has not been explained. This article addresses this question with the help of ethnographic material from a public project in Sweden. By applying interactional constructionism to detailed instances of play situations, the article specifies the social dynamics as well as identificatory attractions of these games for children with disabilities.

Keywords:

• disability
• identity
• play
• games
• interaction
• treatment

Acknowledgements

I thank the boys and staff participating in my study, two anonymous referees, and Kerstin Liljedahl, Anders B. Petersson and Gregory Jakobsson at the Department of Child and Youth Training, Habilitation and Assistive Technology Services, Region Skåne, Sweden.