Puzzle Walk: A Gamified Mobile App to Increase Physical Activity in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Research shows that adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are less physically active than those without ASD. Persuasive augmented reality smartphone apps may be an effective intervention to target this health disparity. A gamified mobile app, Puzzle Walk was developed to elevate physical activity (PA) engagement in the target population following an iterative user-centered design process, including a literature review, identification of target behaviors, needs analysis, health behavior theory evaluation, and prototype design. We found that walking is the most common form of PA in the target users and they have an affinity to using technology devices. These insights led us to design the Puzzle Walk app that incorporates behavior change techniques (BCTs) (e.g., user instruction, self-monitoring, visual rewards, feedback on performance, and goal-setting). We describe the emerged design that includes animated gamification and visualized user interfaces. The usability assessment plan is discussed as future work.