SOFT039 - Videogame That Helps Diagnose Abuse in Minors

Child abuse is a physical, sexual, or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child (McCoy, 2013). It is one of the main causes of suicide cases. Approximately 80% of those who attempted suicide had a history of child abuse (Martin, 2016). Annually, more than 5,000 children are abused; for this reason, an innovative tool may help social workers who oversee a child, to efficiently identified if this minor is being abused. Minors frequently manifest how they are treated through their actions, behavior, and communication. Designing a videogame that contributes to the diagnosis of child abuse is an effective way to help professionals in the corresponding area. Sometimes, the minor does not wish to disclose the situation, or it is not evident. The videogame can be a reliable source to collect information, since the questions integrated into it are based in those that mental health specialists use in child abuse situations. To create the questions, an interview was conducted with a social worker from the PR Department of Children and Family to inquire further into the subject from a primary source. This videogame takes as a reference a famous game that takes place in a friendly and calm environment. It has missions and tasks for a child to complete. While the child is playing, a social worker might be able to take notes on the minor's behavior, answers, and manifestations. With this revolutionary game, we want to identify patterns of abuse in time to be able to safeguard the minor.