Who We Are

In 2009, the play2PREVENT® (p2P) Lab was founded. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and foundation funding, the p2P Lab focuses on the use of “play,” in the form of videogame play, for the purposes of health and wellness promotion, risk reduction, social good, and educational interventions. We harness videogame technology to create engaging and effective methods to teach youth accurate information and critical skills that lead to behavior change, translating to healthier and safer lives. Our games focus on substance misuse, mental health, and sexual health, and with over 25 publications of our research in peer-reviewed journals, we have demonstrated that our games are engaging and effective.

We build collaborations and partnerships, bringing together a “Collective Brain” of researchers, youth, educators, parents, clinicians, commercial game developers, and community-based organizations with the goal of developing and rigorously testing innovative, effective, and targeted game interventions to improve the health and well-being of youth and young adults. We welcome partnerships with youth-focused organizations who share our mission of using game-based learning to create meaningful change.