Gamified digital mental health interventions as therapeutics for common pediatric mental health conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Over 20% of children and adolescents suffer from at least 1 mental health condition, most commonly anxiety disorders, depression, and ADHD. There are limits on the scalability of existing treatments to meet the growing demand in mental health care. One promising solution is the use of gamified digital mental health interventions (DMHIs). Early evidence suggests that gamified DMHIs can increase engagement among young people relative to traditional therapies. Here, we examined the therapeutic effects of video game–based (ie, “gamified”) DMHIs for common pediatric mental health conditions.