What change do we seek?

Interparental Conflict (IPC) Threatens Children’s Health and Well-being. Decades of research have shown that exposure to IPC predicts poor outcomes for children across family structures, socioeconomic status, and cultural and geographic lines. Children exposed to IPC are more likely to develop mental and physical health problems, experience difficulties at school and in peer relationships, and engage in risky health behaviors and suicide attempts. Many programs persistently emphasize the detrimental effects of conflict on children, with the expectation that parents, upon fully grasping the consequences of their actions, will cease their harmful behavior. However, this approach overlooks a crucial aspect: shame does not facilitate behavioral change. There's a delicate balance between fostering empathy and managing shame. While the goal is for parents to develop empathy towards their children, the presence of shame can obstruct this process.

Gameplay may circumvent shame to facilitate behavior change.

A gameplay experience in which the “bad guys” are identified and battled through garnering allies and activating power-ups has been shown to have powerful transformative effects post trauma. The open question is: as the children identify the “bad guys” as an identity outside of themselves and themselves as the “secret identity” that gathers allies and activates power-ups - will the imaginative play as seen through the child’s eyes have a transformative effect and reduce interparental conflict? Can the game become a transitional object toward a positive path forward for the parents and children?