A new study out of Oxford University concluded that classic puzzle game Tetris helps reduce the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, acting as a "cognitive vaccine" for the affliction.The study, consisting of two experiments, took participants and had them all watch
RS 3 Gold "traumatic film scenes of injury and death" in order to induce flashbacks, a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder.The 21-minute film showed clips of events such as "graphic scenes of human surgery" and fatal traffic accidents.Following the viewing, test subjects in one experiment took a 10 minute break, while the subjects of the other variation of the experiment took a four-hour break. In both experiments, participants were allocated for 10 minutes to either play Tetris, a pub quiz game or sit quietly.Over the next week, participants kept a diary tracking the flashbacks of the film, or the mental "intrusions."
The study found that "playing Tetris after viewing traumatic material reduced later flashbacks compared to no-task control [sitting quietly for 10 minutes] ... whereas the computer game pub quiz did not."The study also concluded that the pub quiz game even worsened post-trauma symptoms in some cases. "...Our data suggest that in the field of trauma, not all computer games are beneficial or even merely distracting -- some may even be harmful," reads the study.
RS 07 Gold The research also said that using Tetris as a "cognitive vaccine" would offer a "novel alternative" to PTSD drug treatment or counseling, two current treatment methods that are at times ineffective (drugs) or worsen the affliction (counseling and stress debriefings).