It's fun—but will it work?: The use of games as a therapeutic medium for children and adolescents

Abstract

One of the contemporary developments in the area of working therapeutically with children and adolescents has been the utilization of games and game theory. This paper surveys the use of games as a therapeutic tool and provides an assessment and critique of the therapeutic usefulness of this approach. The games and their appropriate uses are detailed. The future potential for the use of games and game theory in therapy is discussed and research necessary to answer questions raised by this “game development”; is delineated.