Troubled Kids & Computer Games: Using Virtual Worlds for Successful Behavioral Therapy

While there are many therapeutic interventions to treat at-risk teens that can be effective for many, such techniques are inherently flawed for many children and adolescents with attention, memory, and communication difficulties, let alone the typical teen resistance to engage in one-on-one discussion with adults. Additionally, there few tools for capturing insights into the inner world of a patient, or ways for the patient to explore and understand themselves better; such approaches can be slow, complex, and require expert skills not always available. Using Forterra Systems' OLIVE (On-Line Interactive Virtual Environment) platform, Greenleaf is developing a computer-based approach for treating teen behavioral disorders using a multiplayer immersive environment called SECTER - the Simulated Environment for Counseling, Training, Evaluation, and Rehabilitation.