Boston-based Mightier is Helping Kids Learn Calming Skills Through Play By Dr. Jason Kahn
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he COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the distress among children, but the seeds of this mental health crisis were planted long before. Boston-based Mightier, a proven intervention to help build calming skills, has launched a study where families can access a video-game based, in-home program and get paid for their participation. Prior to March 2020, many children were already showing signs of anxiety and depression, but with added social isolation, disruptions to daily routines, and uncertainty about the wellbeing of loved ones, the prevalence of symptoms increased significantly. The rise in mental and emotional health challenges among children led a group of top pediatric associations and the US Surgeon General to declare a public health crisis at the end of last year. Another layer that adds to the challenges facing America’s youth is the shortage of child therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists available to support them. Pre-pandemic, there was roughly one mental health worker for every 500 Americans, and that margin has only grown in the last two years. Further, the U.S. healthcare system anticipates a labor shortage of nearly 60,000 primary care doctors and psychiatrists over the next decade. Unable to meet the growing demand for mental health services, the average wait time for families seeking clinical support for a struggling child in Massachusetts has ballooned to almost 4 months. The gap between the resources available for children and families and the demand for mental
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Boston Parents Paper | May 2022
and emotional wellbeing services is widening, and will only grow larger without novel tools and at-home solutions that can extend the ability to deliver care outside the walls of a provider’s office. To bridge this divide, a greater focus on these on-demand tools is needed. Accessible, at-home solutions serve as a channel for children to experiment with and learn about their emotions on their own schedule and in their own way, ultimately building greater
Another layer that adds to the challenges facing America’s youth is the shortage of child therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists available to support them. self-confidence and resilience. Video games and apps, such as Mightier, can help children develop the coping skills needed to decrease feelings of anxiety, anger, or frustration and see reduced symptoms while having fun. By overlaying clinically validated strategies for emotional regulation on popular video games for kids, Mightier blends learning with playing. Mightier is conducting a study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and is looking for families to join. The paid study seeks to determine if playing Mightier can improve emotional regulation and reduce the overall cost of behavioral healthcare by making tools and resources more accessible for families. The study doesn’t require office visits and is offered at no cost to families. Participants who complete the study will also receive $300. Children ages 8-12 who have health insurance in Massachusetts and have used behavioral healthcare in the past year are eligible. Enrollment for the study will continue through September. To learn more about participation, visit https://be.mightier.com/study-bos. Dr. Jason Kahn is the Chief Science Officer and co-founder of Mightier, researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
(Samples of game icons)
