Video Games as a Complementary Therapy for Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is a prevalent and serious disorder. Video games have shown potential as an aid in health care for people who suffer from schizophrenia. Although video games may contribute benefit in the treatment of schizophrenia, reviews on this topic are scarce. In this article, we systematically review the evidence concerning video game-based therapeutic interventions for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. METHODS: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database. We searched 4 databases-PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and clinicaltrials.gov-to identify original studies exploring video game-based therapeutic interventions for people with schizophrenia. RESULTS: After initial screening, full-text review, and study selection, 11 articles were included in the review. Most studies used video consoles as the platform, with a minority using a personal computer. Video game-based therapeutic interventions were well accepted and generally effective in improving cognitive areas. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive training could be one of the main mechanisms underlying the usefulness and effectiveness of video game-based therapeutic interventions. Software optimization and greater collaboration between developers and health care professionals are some of the priorities for future research in this area.

Developmental outcomes in adolescence of children with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability: A systematic review of prospective studies.

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID) represent approximately two-thirds of the ASD population. Here we focused on prospective research assessing different areas of functioning of children with ASD, without ID, until adolescence. Based on a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42020189029), a systematic review of prospective studies (published between 01.01.2010 and 01.01.2020) was conducted. Twenty-eight studies met eligibility criteria. Findings indicated that ASD diagnosis and the Intelligence Quotient were highly stable over time across studies. Executive Functioning, Theory of Mind and Central Coherence processes tended to improve, although deficits remained when compared to typically developed controls. Adaptive difficulties and psychiatric comorbidity were relatively stable over time. We discuss potential implications of the findings for clinicians and educators and suggest recommendations for future research.