“What would we say if today we heard it proclaimed that ‘the increase in youth violence goes hand in hand with the increase in the distribution of comics’? We wouldn’t hesitate to scream ridiculous, since comics are now part of our culture, they are a form of art and communication and publishing and cinematographic industries have been built on them and their characters”: second Viola Nicolucci, psychologist – psychotherapist specialized in cyberpsychology (telehealth, digital education and video games) and author of Game hero, journey through the stories of gamers – the video game is a cultural product and capable of having a positive impact on well-being and health.
A reversal of the most widespread assumptions today, which accuse video games of being responsible for the apathy and isolation of adolescents: “We adults let’s look at the present of young people with the lenses of 20 years ago in front of us: we should bring our childhood to bear on the current context and look, for example, at the positive impact of video gaming in terms of mental health. In my book I tell stories that show how video games, for example, can create important relationships, more than those with people we meet in our communities.”
Becoming digital parents Minors and artificial intelligence: in search of critical thinking by Giulia Cimpanelli 10 February 2024
In one chapter, for example, Nicolucci tells the story of a boy suffering from a neurodegenerative disease, of how the video game put him on an equal footing with others, eliminating disability and of the friendships made online: “At his funeral – he says – there were many friends who came from far away, met thanks to video games. Digital offers the opportunity to connect with people who share deeper affinities than the local community, thus creating a more significant network of contacts. However, sometimes parents worry precisely because they do not fully understand their children’s digital world.A big additional problem is the lack of physical public spaces where people can meet and interact. A potential solution could be the use of digital to encourage meetings and activities in the real world, similar to the idea of Pokémon Go which, despite falling into oblivion, has demonstrated the potential of using digital technology to physically navigate and interact with one’s environment.”
In Italy there are 16 million video gamers out of 60 million inhabitants, practically 1 in 4 people. Despite this diffusion, the narrative of the sector continues to be shrouded in prejudice and is continually focused on a few themes: addiction, violence in video games and producers’ profits. What’s missing from this conversation? Where are the voices of gamers? Who am I really?
Becoming digital parents The “smartphone contract” that has gone viral all over the world by Giulia Cimpanelli 24 February 2024
“Only by listening to their experiences can we fully understand this phenomenon and thus understand the value that video games have – adds the expert -. For this reason I have collected, at an international level, ten stories of diversity, socialization and self-realization. Everyday stories, made up of personal, parental and professional relationships: from Mats suffering from Duchenne disease who builds a life through his avatar, to Francesca and her relationship with her father, from Spencer who finds the courage to come out – out during a PlayStation game up to people like Simone, Stefania and Tameem who have made it a job in different fields. Game Hero opens a door to a world in which video games are a space for relationships and the hours spent in front of the screen are transformed into the construction of one’s identity and family memories.”
After becoming the mother of a son with learning disabilities, Nicolucci began to explore digital tools that could enhance her potential, and discovered that video games excelled in this area: “From that moment – she says -, my mission is was to inform and train others onimportance of video games as an educational and cultural tool. It is often argued that video games are designed to be addictive. However, it is important to underline that the most authoritative scientists agree that those who develop them do not necessarily have the capabilities to do so.”
Becoming Digital Parents From the virtual square to real conversation: parents and children on social networks by Giulia Cimpanelli 02 March 2024
An emblematic example of the potential of the sector is EndeavorRxthe first video game in the world to be marketed and prescribed as a drug, designed to help children aged 8 to 12 who suffer from attention disorders. EndeavorRx has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, which accredits food and pharmaceutical products; Also Sea Hero Quest is a video game that by collecting data on navigation skills generated during various activities allows you to identify the signs of onset of degenerative diseases such as dementia. “This represents a significant first step in the field of digital medicine and opens up new possibilities in the treatment of such disorders. But commercial video games can also be used for training purposes,” comments the expert.
Becoming Digital Parents Luddite club, very young people disconnect by Giulia Cimpanelli 09 March 2024
In recent years, many projects have developed in this direction, especially since 2020. “It has been recognized that video gaming is not just a pastime, but a real cultural language. If a person has pop culture, you can understand a lot about them through their connection to video games. In the United States, for example, the practice of ‘Geek Therapy’ has spread, which consists of understanding people through their relationship with video games or role-playing games. At an educational level, gamification has begun to be used to promote educational objectives, as in the case of applications such as Duolingo for language learning.”
Furthermore, the use of video games and virtual reality has begun to be integrated into schools, with examples such as Educational version of Minecraft. The latter is considered a sort of “digital Lego”, offering wide margins of creativity to both students and educators, although it certainly requires significant investments in terms of time and energy. Other interesting developments include the introduction of a version of Fortnite for teachers, although it is currently not widely used in Italy but rather in the United States. Furthermore, we are witnessing the birth of e-sports programs in schools, such as the one promoted by Marco Vigellini, which has the merit of making disabilities invisible, offering all students the opportunity to participate and compete in an inclusive and stimulating.
Becoming digital parents Vicari: “Addiction to devices is like addiction to drugs” by Giulia Cimpanelli 30 March 2024