Computer game can help children cope with anxiety

A computer game created by two Irish academics is proving effective in helping anxious or depressed kids identify and manage their feelings.

The game, Pesky Gnats, has been so well received that mental health professionals in Britain and the US requested training to use it when treating children.

Developed by Gary O’Reilly of UCD’s Psychology Department, and David Coyle, a lecturer in human computer interaction at the University of Bristol, the game is essentially a child-friendly version of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).