Children and teenagers with anxiety will explore space and play with monsters in a new video game treatment programme.
Five digital tools based on cognitive behaviour therapies have been approved for NHS use in children and young people with mild to moderate anxiety. Officials said they could improve access to mental health support amid widespread shortages of clinicians and long waits for services.
The Health Foundation estimates that among those aged six to 16 in England, one in six had a probable mental health condition last year, up from one in nine in 2017.
The programmes, which offer games, videos and quizzes, are accessed via smartphones, apps and computers. Some also offer a text messaging service with therapists.
They are designed to teach children how to better understand and manage symptoms of anxiety and low mood, supported by mental health professionals. In Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage from BfB Labs, users take part in an intergalactic role-playing game that also offers exposure therapy and “psychoeducational content”.