‘Dartmouth’s play2Prevent Lab and Nonprofit Proof Positive Collaborate to Design Mental Health Games for Autistic Youth’ (Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine News – September 22, 2025 – Full Article)
Article Excerpt: The play2PREVENT (p2P) Lab at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth has received a $755,000 grant from Proof Positive, a nonprofit organization focused on promoting the well-being of the autism community. The grant will fund a two-year initiative to create and evaluate digital health games that help autistic youth build emotional resilience, social confidence, and positive coping strategies…
Founded in 2009, the p2P Lab has spent more than 15 years developing and testing video games aimed at reducing health risk behaviors among adolescents. Games have addressed topics like HIV prevention, substance misuse, and mental health, often blending narratives and challenges to engage young people in learning through play…
Now, with Proof Positive’s grant, p2P can cover new terrain—all while funding research staff, curriculum development, community engagement, and a full evaluation of the game’s feasibility and impact. The research will begin with focus groups and co-design sessions before moving into game production and outcome measurement.