gaming – Active Play Therapies

Thoughts from a Therapist: Screening Screen Time

Originally posted on Sensory Integration Education on 30 July 2024.

In this month’s Thoughts from a Therapist blog, Anna Willis takes a look at the hot topic of screening screen time. Given the digital age we live in, finding a balance between screen time and other activities is important for everyone’s overall wellbeing. In her blog, Anna looks at the impact screen time can have on teenagers and young adults and the pros and cons this can bring.

As we’re focusing on teens and young adults this month, something that’s been on my mind has been the role of screen time and screening screen time. A key question that comes to mind for me is when does something become an addiction vs something that is regulating – and can it be both?

From a personal perspective, I find it all too easy to get sucked into my phone, scrolling through content that feeds my brain and lights up the little reward centre in my brain every time I find a nugget of joy! It can be a source of relaxation, play and distraction, but it can also become a habit that’s hard to break. I’ve started turning it off at night so I can’t check it first thing in the morning as I was finding that I was being sucked into work before I’ve even fully become conscious.

If, as an adult with an arguably fully developed frontal lobe, I struggle to manage my own screen time, it is surely an unrealistic ask to put the burden of regulating the amount of screen time on children? I’ve seen various parenting approaches, from restricting screen time with timers on devices, to more gentle parenting approaches where children are given free rein.

When we factor neurodiversity into the mix, this becomes even more complex. I’ve written before about the social benefits of the online gaming community. I’ve also seen some autistic advocates say that devices are crucial to a person’s ability to regulate, opening up a whole world of opportunity to them in the form of entertainment, relaxation, comfort, predictability, social opportunities and information gathering, and that by limiting access, we are denying people access to a key regulator.

Unfortunately, it’s not something I have an answer for – more just throwing it up as a topic for debate! I think screen time can become a distractor and limit real-world opportunities for interacting physically with environments and people, gaining regulating multisensory input and learning opportunities. The addictive properties of screens can be a hazard and screening screen time can put pressure on the parent-child relationship, which is particularly vulnerable during adolescence. However, preventing someone from accessing a regulating tool is not something that feels comfortable either and we all know how integral screens are to our work and personal lives today.

If anyone has the answer – please let me know!

Have a wonderful summer!

Anna

Thoughts From a Therapist is a regular series written by Advanced SI Practitioner Anna Willis about something that piqued her professional interest or inspired her in some way over the last month. Anna, an occupational therapist and owner of Active Play Therapies, has over ten years of experience working with children and adults with a range of learning disabilities and autism.

Thoughts From a Therapist: The Role of Gaming in SI Sessions

Originally published on Sensory Integration Education on 19 January 2024.

In this month’s Thoughts From a Therapist article, Anna Willis, Occupational Therapist and Advanced Practitioner in Sensory Integration, looks at the role of gaming when planning Sensory Integration (SI) sessions for her younger clients.

Phew – the December chaos is finally settling into January freshness. I love Christmas but I also love the sense of a new start that the month of January brings. I have some exciting things coming up that I am looking forward to writing more about soon! However, for this month’s blog, I’ve been thinking about the role of gaming.

Screen time is such a divisive parenting issue. Sometimes it feels like it should be heavily policed and limited, with all sorts of scary stories about what too much screen time can do. However I’d like to speak up for gaming as a meaningful occupation.

As an OT, looking at children’s meaningful occupations is obviously a Big Thing I Do. So often, when I ask children now what they like playing, I’ll get a list of video games they play on an iPad, Switch, Xbox or Playstation. Old me would always be surprised as I’d be expecting a list of things such as ‘hide and seek’ or make-believe games! Mostly I have to go away after the sessions and Google all of these games.

When planning SI sessions and wanting to create fun, immersive play themes for children to fully want to engage in, I like to find characters and themes that link to their current interests, and often, this is game-based. A lot of children initially struggle to use their imaginations and motor skills (typically part of a larger picture of why they are coming to SI anyway!) to join in, but it does create a wonderful springboard into adventures in the SI room.

Another side to gaming is the social connections. A lot of the children I see struggle with friendships face to face but when wearing a headset, immersed in a game they love, speaking to others who love and understand the game, they can connect in a way that doesn’t happen so easily. There’s no pressure for eye contact or to read body language. There’s a shared special interest already, with very clear topics to talk about – the missions being completed on the game!

There are clearly issues that need addressing, such as age limits, risks of speaking to strangers and the addictive nature of some games. However, in moderation and with proper safety nets in place, gaming holds a special role for some children to be able to access a playful side of themselves and also connect with others. If you don’t already – why not research your clients’ gaming interests and see if you can wind it into ASI!

Warmest regards

Anna Willis