Talking with Clients about Video Games
Video games are ubiquitous in our culture, but playing them is frequently regarded with judgment or disinterest. As a result, therapists tend to overlook the meaning in their clients’ gaming behavior, or view it solely through the lens of pathology. This course provides a framework for clinicians to understand games and their relevance to the therapy process, focusing on debunking longstanding stigmas in the interest of a theoretical and scientifically robust model of gaming psychology, as illustrated through specific case examples. Issues of gaming addiction, violence in video games, and talking with children and their parents about game-playing behavior will be addressed.
1 hour CE. Recorded video format (non-interactive)
Course Overview
ESTIMATED COURSE LENGTH: 1.08 hours
CE CREDITS: 1.00 continuing education/contact hours for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists
TARGET AUDIENCE: Mental Health Practitioners
LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION: Intermediate
PREREQUISITE(S): None
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Recorded video format (non-interactive)
ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Closed captioning of audio components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS: To obtain your CE certificate, learners must complete a pre-test (not scored), progress through all course segments, complete a participant evaluation, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a post-test. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within 3 attempts. If unable to do so, the learner will need to re-review the course segments.
FINANCIAL/COMMERCIAL SUPPORT STATEMENT: This course has no commercial support.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: This course has no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support. Psych Hub's conflict of interest statement is found in the footer of the training center.
GRIEVANCE AND REFUND POLICIES: Grievance and refund policies are found in the footer of the training center.
PARTICIPATION COSTS: The cost to participate in this CE activity is included in the subscription registration fee.
COURSE CREATION DATE: 1/21/2021
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify at least two common attitudes and stigmas surrounding video game use, where they came from, and how they compare to up-to-date scientific research
- Describe a new, relational model of game-playing
- Identify at least three methods of inquiry that can be used with patients in session to facilitate more empathic and useful dialogue around game use
- Differentiate three types of game-playing behavior across a range of different clients and presenting issues
Course Outline
- Games in our culture
- Popularity of games
- Stigma around game use: Violence and addiction
- History and research
- A new relationship model of games
- The game and the player’s psychology
- Three essential questions
- The model in practice
- Reconceptualizing “video game addiction”
- Talking about games when gaming is not a major presenting issue
- Talking about video games with children and their parents