RAGE Control: Video Game to Treat Anger Management Issues in Kids

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have developed a new video game that can be used to treat anger management issues in children, according to a new study published in the journal Adolescent Psychiatry.

The game, known as RAGE Control, has been developed by Jason Kahn and Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich who said that they got the idea after seeing how eager children were to play video games. Both the researchers added that the game can be used to help children get motivated and develop emotional control skills which can then be used in real-life situations.

The game tracks the player's heart rate as they shoot up enemy space ships while avoiding friendly ones. If the player's heart rate goes above a specific limit, then it becomes difficult to accurately shoot the ships and requires the player to remain calm when playing the game.

"The connections between the brain's executive control centers and emotional centers are weak in people with severe anger problems. However, to succeed at Rage Control, players have to learn to use these centers at the same time to score points", Dr Gonzalez-Heydrich said.


Source: Medindia