Video games as a psychological method of rehabilitation for military personnel and veterans

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the potential of video games as a tool for restoring the mental and behavioral health of military personnel and veterans, based on an analysis of relevant scientific sources and contemporary research. Materials and methods: The search for scientific literature was undertaken in the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, as well as through targeted searches in online sources using keywords. The time frame covered the last ten years (2016-2025). The selection criteria included relevance to the topic, availability of full text or extended abstracts, and publication in peer-reviewed journals in English or Ukrainian. The processed material was analyzed using systematic and content analysis methods, followed by a critical assessment and generalization of the results. Results: International experience shows positive results in the use of video games as tools for the adaptation and rehabilitation of military personnel and veterans. It has been established that video games are an art form that applies elements found in game design to non-game scenarios. The positive benefits of video games include improved performance on tasks involving eye-hand coordination, neuropsychological tests, reaction time tests, spatial visualization, and mental rotation. Examples of video games for psychological, adaptive, and cognitive recovery, as well as improved motor skills and coordination, are provided, and the benefits of esports in social integration are described. The increased accessibility of virtual reality, driven by mobile gadget technologies, makes video game therapy a promising tool for use not only in specialized institutions but also at home. Conclusions. Video games are a promising tool for technological interventions in the practice of providing psychological and psychiatric care to military personnel (veterans). The use of digital gaming environments in controlled conditions creates opportunities for modeling therapeutic scenarios aimed at reducing anxiety, depressive symptoms, and manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. The current task is to develop specialized software products of domestic production and to form standardized protocols for game psychotherapy, which will be based on clinical diagnoses, the degree of psychological trauma, age characteristics, and the cultural context of military personnel and veterans.