Videogame images and psychotherapy among adolescents: Violence or catharsis?

Aims. -This article explores the interest of using video games in therapy as a contemporary mediation tool. Method. We present the case of Tristan, a 16-year-old adolescent, residing in an educational, therapeutic institute (ITEP) since early childhood, and followed in weekly psychotherapy in a non-institutional freelance practice. It is in this setting that innovative approach was developed, on the initiative of the adolescent, consisting in the use of a Wii-U and the video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a famous action-adventure game in which the hero, Link, awakens from a 100-year-long sleep in a kingdom in ruins. He will have to unravel the mysteries of the past and defeat Ganon, figuring evil. Results. - In this article, we explain how the adolescent takes possession of the digital image and distorts the game, before recreating it and incorporating in it his pubertal scenarios. By way of the expression, in crude, violent and pornographic words, of the (otherwise calm and appeased) story of the video game, the adolescent finds a way to contain his excitation in virtual form. Discussion. - The originality of the proposed approach resides in the transference-counter transference function of these game sequences. The scenario deployed involves several protagonists, their utterances diffracting between the adolescent, the avatar and the therapist; the transference effects occurring make it possible to lead this vulnerable adolescent towards a representation of his adolescent fantasies and doubts, in particular regarding sexual identity and sexuality. Conclusion. - The value of this reflection is that it helps to understand how, through games of transference and seduction, the therapeutic containing function alternates between the distancing made possible by the videogame, the framework of the session and the quality of the countertransference. (C) 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.