“Rasha Alqahtani is developing a video game that can assess a person’s mental health. How cool is that?” Orak said.
“Very!” Verum said, “But tell us more. Who is Alqahtani?”
“Yes, yes, I will tell you,” Orak replied.
Orak explained, “Mental health is the mental and emotional well-being of a person. People with good mental health lead productive lives. But bad mental health or mental illnesses affect people’s relationships, their ability to deal with problems, and the way they feel about themselves. It affects their ability to lead lives on a day-to-day basis.
Alqahtani is an 18-year-old high school student from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She noticed that people around her were affected by generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). She also struggled with anxiety. People with anxiety disorder have ongoing anxiety that is hard to control. So, she decided to create a video game tool to help teenagers with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).”
“Why a video game tool specifically?” Felix said.
“Psychologists are people who study the human mind and behavior. But some people, especially teenagers, find it scary to approach them. Their costs can also be higher than the teenagers’ budgets. Such problems prevent teenagers from receiving mental health care. But video games are loved and played by almost all teenagers everywhere.
Alqahtani created a draft test within two weeks. Next, she created a video of how the test would look in the popular video game Minecraft.”
“How does this tool work exactly?” Verum wanted to know.
“As an example, she called the featured tool Minecraft: Story Mode. Players can choose their own adventures and respond to various scenarios. They will have to answer 13 questions. Their answers will be scored. A higher score would mean higher anxiety levels. In this way, the test can assess the players’ mental health.
Her idea won an award in Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2021!” Scorch said.
“Awesome!” Verum said, “But is it possible to get diagnosed with an online test?”
“Some psychologists believe it’s not possible to get a full diagnosis with an online test. Mental health care providers who diagnose mental health disorders have a vast knowledge of the field. They also need to have a license. But they believe Alqahtani’s test can become a good screening tool in the future. It will help determine whether a more in-depth assessment is needed!” Scorch replied.
“Yes!” Verum said.
“Alqahtani continues to work on her project!” Orak concluded.