"Beyond the Screen": a conference on video games, the mind and digital addiction

On Tuesday, 14 April, at Teatro Centro Sociale in Mendrisio, the Cantonal Socio-Psychiatric Organisation (OSC), in collaboration with Università della Svizzera italiana, is organising the conference "Beyond the Screen: Video Game Worlds and Digital Addictions", dedicated to the impact of immersive technologies on cognitive, emotional and relational processes.

The initiative forms part of a broader reflection on the role of digital technologies in contemporary life, which are no longer merely tools but true environments in which the mind develops and transforms. The conference proposes a nuanced approach to the topic, moving beyond both the demonisation and trivialisation of the phenomenon, to examine the increasingly blurred line between recreational experience and pathological behaviour. At the heart of the debate lies the tension between so-called "flow"– the state of positive engagement typical of play – and Gaming Disorder, recognised by the World Health Organisation. Rather than focusing on screen time, the focus shifts to the psychological processes and dynamics that can transform a gaming experience into maladaptive behaviour. The digital environment is therefore explored as a new determinant of health that also redefines cognitive and emotional processes.

The conference stems from the growing synergy between the cantonal public psychiatric services and USI, under the scientific leadership of Prof. Andrea Raballo, Full Professor of Psychiatry at USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Head of Academic Training and Research at OSC, and Maria Chiara Ferrazzo Arcidiacono, Head of the Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Service at OSC. This collaboration forms part of the QUAD GEMS training project, which aims to integrate clinical practice and academic research within an innovative interdisciplinary framework, acting as a genuine catalyst for intellectual development in the field of mental health.

Among the scheduled contributions, particular prominence will be given to the presentation by Anne-Linda Camerini, Lecturer and Researcher at USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, who will present empirical data on young people's use of technology in Ticino. Her presentation will provide a concrete basis for developing evidence-based prevention strategies, moving beyond anecdotal interpretations of the phenomenon. The encounter will feature several experts in the field, with presentations on topics such as the relationship between young people, artificial intelligence, and social media; new forms of digital addiction; and prevention strategies. The programme includes, among others, presentations by Tommaso Zanella (Minotauro Foundation), Francesco Bocci (Rete VGT – Video Game Therapy) and Marco Coppola (Radix Svizzera italiana), as well as opportunities for audience discussion.

The conference is part of a broader programme promoted by the OSC, which follows the encounter held on March dedicated to artificial intelligence in medicine and mental health, and precedes the upcoming event in June focused on the transgenerational transmission of suffering and psychic resilience (see the "OSC Events 2026" flyer attached). In this context, the OSC reaffirms its role as a space for dialogue and innovation, fostering critical thinking about the transformations currently underway.