Role-playing recovery in social virtual worlds: Adult use of child avatars as PTSD therapy
Abstrak
A study of a community of people with disabilities in a virtual world sheds new light on an important issue of health literacy that has to date remained underreported in the current body of research. Participants revealed a community of individuals who are adults role-playing via child avatars as a coping and recovery mechanism for childhood trauma. One case follows the experience of a woman who role plays an adopted child of a caring adult while another attempts to recreate different ages of herself to unpack past trauma and find therapeutic healing. This phenomenon, as well as both its risks and opportunities, are examined with important considerations for the future of digital mental health support for people who have experienced abuse as children. Researchers, policy makers, and mental health professionals are encouraged to consider the role of social virtual worlds in the future of telemedicine for PTSD therapy.
Topik & Kata Kunci
Penulis (2)
Donna Davis
Stephen Alexanian
Akses Cepat
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- 2024
- Sumber Database
- DOAJ
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cmpbup.2023.100129
- Akses
- Open Access ✓