Charlotte de Bucy, Silvana Belmudes, Paul Moulas, Mustapha Bessedik, Bertrand Vachey, Jean-Pierre Benoit, Serge Tisseron, Marie-Rose Moro : from leaning on the avatar to leaning on the host. analysis of a therapy group for over-players

For over-playing teenagers, the association of a videogame workshop and a talking moment seems to be an adequate therapy. The use of the videogame as the mediation object of the therapy allows for the emergence of feelings that might be elaborated through verbalization in a second step. It allows the teenagers to become aware of their own troubles, and consequently helps them to move away from them. Interactions facilitated by the well-disposed group strengthen the identificatory process, especially with the victims of school violence. At least one of the therapists should be very familiar with the videogame’s world, in order to facilitate the narcissistic revaluation process and the identification process.

Adolescence, 2009, T. 27, n°3, pp. 689-698.