Computer games
Published April 2013
Download the full evidence summary PDF: Computer games
PLEASE NOTE: This summary was produced more than 4 years ago. Information provided may be out of date. If you think it would be helpful to update this summary please contact us at pencru@exeter.ac.uk
What were we asked?
A parent suggested that a ‘Dance Mat’ computer game had helped her son. Would this be a useful therapy for children with different conditions?
Key findings
There is some evidence to suggest that active computer games may have therapeutic and social benefits for children with motor impairments.
However, the evidence isn’t very strong. Most studies have involved small numbers of children and haven’t involved control groups.
Despite this, most studies reported that the computer games were enjoyed by the children, helped them to felt more confident about their abilities, and provided them with an opportunity to engage with their peers.