Playing for mental health and social change (2019)

College means a time of freedom and time to explore the future with excitement. However, the transition into college also means a time of intense challenge to students’ mental health. The significant challenge brings many college students overwhelming anxiety and unbearable depression. The ongoing crisis in colleges across the nation shows that better and accessible professional services are critical to helping students with mental health issues move through college and improving their quality of life. One important alternative approach to existing health communication strategies is the use of digital games, which have received growing attention over recent years. A serious game is a specific type of game developed primarily for learning and training purposes within a wide variety of serious contexts, including education, public health and advocacy communication settings.