Lihong Ou, Angela Chia-Chen Chen, Elizabeth Reifsnider, Michael Todd, Ashish Amresh, Chung Jung Mun
Objective: To evaluate a serious game-based intervention's feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy in encouraging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination among 11-14-year-olds in the United States and assess participant experiences. Materials and Methods: The study, grounded in social cognitive theory and health belief model, recruited and engaged 32 English-speaking parent-child dyads with unvaccinated youths via snowball sampling and social media outreach. These dyads were randomly assigned to either the COVID-19 serious game-based intervention group (n = 16) or a usual care group (n = 16). The study measured beliefs, self-efficacy, and intentions regarding vaccination using surveys before and after the intervention, with follow-up at 2 months to evaluate vaccine uptake. Semistructured interviews provided insights into the gaming experience and study process. Results: All 32 eligible parent-youth dyads (16 in each group) completed the study with full participation. Most participants were Black or African American fathers, making up 75% and 81.3% of the intervention and control groups, respectively. The intervention impacted vaccine uptake, with 75% of the intervention group vaccinating their children compared with 37.5% of the control group [χ2(1, n = 32) = 4.57, P = 0.033]. Key factors for vaccine uptake included parents' motivation and youths' perceived susceptibility, with correlations of r(30) = 0.66, P = 0.006, and r(30) = 0.55, P = 0.029, respectively. The intervention reshaped youth perceptions about self and community protection. Participants expressed overall satisfaction with both the intervention and the study process. Conclusions: The intervention was found to be feasible and acceptable, with potential for integration into youth vaccination strategies to support COVID-19 vaccine decision-making.
{"title":"Empowering Unvaccinated Youth: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of a COVID-19 Serious Game-Based Intervention.","authors":"Lihong Ou, Angela Chia-Chen Chen, Elizabeth Reifsnider, Michael Todd, Ashish Amresh, Chung Jung Mun","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2024.0011","DOIUrl":"10.1089/g4h.2024.0011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate a serious game-based intervention's feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy in encouraging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination among 11-14-year-olds in the United States and assess participant experiences. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> The study, grounded in social cognitive theory and health belief model, recruited and engaged 32 English-speaking parent-child dyads with unvaccinated youths via snowball sampling and social media outreach. These dyads were randomly assigned to either the COVID-19 serious game-based intervention group (<i>n</i> = 16) or a usual care group (<i>n</i> = 16). The study measured beliefs, self-efficacy, and intentions regarding vaccination using surveys before and after the intervention, with follow-up at 2 months to evaluate vaccine uptake. Semistructured interviews provided insights into the gaming experience and study process. <b><i>Results:</i></b> All 32 eligible parent-youth dyads (16 in each group) completed the study with full participation. Most participants were Black or African American fathers, making up 75% and 81.3% of the intervention and control groups, respectively. The intervention impacted vaccine uptake, with 75% of the intervention group vaccinating their children compared with 37.5% of the control group [χ<sup>2</sup>(1, <i>n</i> = 32) = 4.57, <i>P</i> = 0.033]. Key factors for vaccine uptake included parents' motivation and youths' perceived susceptibility, with correlations of <i>r</i>(30) = 0.66, <i>P</i> = 0.006, and <i>r</i>(30) = 0.55, <i>P</i> = 0.029, respectively. The intervention reshaped youth perceptions about self and community protection. Participants expressed overall satisfaction with both the intervention and the study process. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The intervention was found to be feasible and acceptable, with potential for integration into youth vaccination strategies to support COVID-19 vaccine decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142366934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is very important in better management of these diseases, and serious games play an effective role in helping to diagnose these diseases more accurately owing to their innovative features. With respect to the diversity of available games, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using serious games to assess the cognitive status of the elderly at risk of MCI/AD. A systematic review was conducted and the correlation of serious game results with cognitive test scores were extracted from eligible studies for meta-analysis. We analyzed the correlation between the results of serious games with the scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-revised edition (ACE-R), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tests to evaluate cognitive status of the elderly at risk of MCI/AD, as well as the cognitive aspects examined by these tests. The random-effects model was used to obtain the overall correlation coefficient to assess the relationship between the results of serious games and the above mentioned paper-and-pencil tests. The correlation of game results with the MMSE, ACE-R, and MoCA was 0.604, 0.682, with 0.682, respectively. The correlation between the results of the games with the score of each cognitive aspect was also calculated. Overall, there is a positive correlation between serious game scores in terms of accurate patients' reactions with the scores of MMSE, ACE-R, and MoCA tests. Among the cognitive aspects, the highest correlation was obtained for fluency (0.591). For abstraction, however, the correlation was the lowest (0.036). In all three tests, the correlation was >0.6 and in cognitive aspects was <0.6. Thus, more studies should be conducted to develop serious games that are more in line with cognitive tests.
{"title":"Effectiveness of Serious Games in Evaluating Cognitive Status of the Elderly: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Farveh Sabermahani,Mostafa Almasi-Dooghaee,Abbas Sheikhtaheri","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2023.0106","url":null,"abstract":"Early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is very important in better management of these diseases, and serious games play an effective role in helping to diagnose these diseases more accurately owing to their innovative features. With respect to the diversity of available games, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using serious games to assess the cognitive status of the elderly at risk of MCI/AD. A systematic review was conducted and the correlation of serious game results with cognitive test scores were extracted from eligible studies for meta-analysis. We analyzed the correlation between the results of serious games with the scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-revised edition (ACE-R), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tests to evaluate cognitive status of the elderly at risk of MCI/AD, as well as the cognitive aspects examined by these tests. The random-effects model was used to obtain the overall correlation coefficient to assess the relationship between the results of serious games and the above mentioned paper-and-pencil tests. The correlation of game results with the MMSE, ACE-R, and MoCA was 0.604, 0.682, with 0.682, respectively. The correlation between the results of the games with the score of each cognitive aspect was also calculated. Overall, there is a positive correlation between serious game scores in terms of accurate patients' reactions with the scores of MMSE, ACE-R, and MoCA tests. Among the cognitive aspects, the highest correlation was obtained for fluency (0.591). For abstraction, however, the correlation was the lowest (0.036). In all three tests, the correlation was >0.6 and in cognitive aspects was <0.6. Thus, more studies should be conducted to develop serious games that are more in line with cognitive tests.","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142259450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of somatosensory interactive games in combination with pulmonary rehabilitation programs (PRPs) on exercise tolerance, balance function, pulmonary function, inflammatory markers, and healthcare utilization in individuals with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over 12 months. Design: In a randomized controlled trial, 80 patients were divided into two groups. The control group participated in a lasted 30 minutes daily program composed of postural training for 10 minutes, limb movement for 10 minutes, and breathing exercises for 10 minutes based on regular oxygen therapy and medication. The experimental group received a once-daily, 20-minute somatosensory interactive game session based on the control group. Patients began treatment within 48 hours after admission and lasted for 6 weeks. Results: The time × group interactions on 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and Brief Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest) between the two groups were significant (P < 0.001). At the postintervention and each time point of follow-up, the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and Brief-BESTest of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The effects of time factor on forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The 6MWD and Brief-BESTest of the intervention group peaked 3 months after the intervention and were higher than the control group within 12 months. C-reactive protein and procalcitonin were similar between the groups before and after intervention (P > 0.05). The readmission rates and mean length of time spent in the hospital were comparable between the groups at 12 months (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of somatosensory interactive games based on a PRP was safe and feasible, and this benefit persisted for 12 months, peaked at 3 months after the intervention, and then gradually decreased.
{"title":"The Association of Conventional Therapy Associated with Somatosensory Interactive Game Enhances the Effects of Early Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Xiaoliang Jin, Mengni Jin, Beilei Zhang, Mei'e Niu, Yanxia Han, Jiale Qian","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2023.0095","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study aimed to evaluate the effect of somatosensory interactive games in combination with pulmonary rehabilitation programs (PRPs) on exercise tolerance, balance function, pulmonary function, inflammatory markers, and healthcare utilization in individuals with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over 12 months. <b><i>Design:</i></b> In a randomized controlled trial, 80 patients were divided into two groups. The control group participated in a lasted 30 minutes daily program composed of postural training for 10 minutes, limb movement for 10 minutes, and breathing exercises for 10 minutes based on regular oxygen therapy and medication. The experimental group received a once-daily, 20-minute somatosensory interactive game session based on the control group. Patients began treatment within 48 hours after admission and lasted for 6 weeks. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The time × group interactions on 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and Brief Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief-BESTest) between the two groups were significant (<i>P</i> < 0.001). At the postintervention and each time point of follow-up, the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and Brief-BESTest of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The effects of time factor on forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity were statistically significant (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The 6MWD and Brief-BESTest of the intervention group peaked 3 months after the intervention and were higher than the control group within 12 months. C-reactive protein and procalcitonin were similar between the groups before and after intervention (<i>P</i> > 0.05). The readmission rates and mean length of time spent in the hospital were comparable between the groups at 12 months (<i>P</i> > 0.05). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The addition of somatosensory interactive games based on a PRP was safe and feasible, and this benefit persisted for 12 months, peaked at 3 months after the intervention, and then gradually decreased.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142113404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huanyu Bao, Sai G S Pai, Navrag B Singh, Ben Tan Phat Pham, Sowmiya Meena Siva Subramaniam, Yin-Leng Theng, Edmund W J Lee
Objective: This study assesses the impact of single-player and multiplayer exergaming modes on improving exercise intentions, reduction of fear of falling, and emotional well-being among older adults, primarily from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds-a group often underrepresented in exergame research. Method: We engaged 48 participants, primarily from low-SES communities in Singapore for a 4-week community-based exergaming intervention. Participants were divided into four groups as follows: (1) conventional exercise alone, (2) exergames alone, (3) exergames with a health coach, and (4) exergames with a peer. Using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA, we analyzed the effects of these interventions. Results: The findings revealed that all exergaming modes positively influenced exercise intentions, fear of falling, and emotional well-being to varying extents. Notably, exergaming with a health coach significantly improved participants' exercise intentions and emotional well-being, underscoring the value of expert guidance in motivating and supporting older adults in adopting healthier lifestyles. Exergaming with a peer was most effective in reducing fear of falling, highlighting the importance of social support and peer interaction in addressing physical health concerns among this population. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the potential of tailored exergame interventions incorporating various social interactions to improve health outcomes for older adults, contributing to more inclusive health promotion strategies.
{"title":"Single or Multiplayer Mode? Examining the Effects of Exergames in Improving Physical Health and Well-Being Among Older Adults.","authors":"Huanyu Bao, Sai G S Pai, Navrag B Singh, Ben Tan Phat Pham, Sowmiya Meena Siva Subramaniam, Yin-Leng Theng, Edmund W J Lee","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2023.0241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study assesses the impact of single-player and multiplayer exergaming modes on improving exercise intentions, reduction of fear of falling, and emotional well-being among older adults, primarily from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds-a group often underrepresented in exergame research. <b><i>Method:</i></b> We engaged 48 participants, primarily from low-SES communities in Singapore for a 4-week community-based exergaming intervention. Participants were divided into four groups as follows: (1) conventional exercise alone, (2) exergames alone, (3) exergames with a health coach, and (4) exergames with a peer. Using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA, we analyzed the effects of these interventions. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The findings revealed that all exergaming modes positively influenced exercise intentions, fear of falling, and emotional well-being to varying extents. Notably, exergaming with a health coach significantly improved participants' exercise intentions and emotional well-being, underscoring the value of expert guidance in motivating and supporting older adults in adopting healthier lifestyles. Exergaming with a peer was most effective in reducing fear of falling, highlighting the importance of social support and peer interaction in addressing physical health concerns among this population. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This study emphasizes the potential of tailored exergame interventions incorporating various social interactions to improve health outcomes for older adults, contributing to more inclusive health promotion strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142037341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: A transformation of learning in nursing is necessary to prepare students for developing complex clinical environments. The essential aim of clinical nursing learning is to enhance the integration of theoretical knowledge in the clinical environment by using various innovative strategies, such as immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation to develop a learning process that allows students to gain knowledge and perform skills in a visually attractive way, which enhances the quality and safety of clinical learning through repeated exposure to educational content that supports students' cognitive and psychomotor skills. Objective: This study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of immersive VR simulation as a learning strategy on the acquisition of intramuscular injection skills in nursing education and the performance level of nursing students compared with a physical learning environment (low-fidelity simulation). Materials and Metods: The experimental design (pre-post-test) was used among first-year nursing students (N = 66) (control group = 33, hip model and experimental group = 33, VR simulation) of the summer semester of 2019-2020 in the Faculty of Nursing at Near East University in Cyprus. Results: There is a significant difference between both groups in performance psychomotor skills scores, and the mean was higher in the experimental group (P = 0.002) and a significantly longer period of time than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Immersive VR simulation is a supplementary tool and useful teaching-learning strategy for training in nursing education alongside physical laboratory (hip-model and mannequin) and psychomotor skills requiring the ordering of skill steps in teaching, and it provides realistic experiences in a safe environment instead of the unavailability of actual customers in clinical settings.
{"title":"The Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation as an Innovative Learning Strategy for Acquisition of Clinical Skills in Nursing Education: Experimental Design.","authors":"Samar Thabet Jallad, Burçin Işık","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2023.0139","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Background:</i></b> A transformation of learning in nursing is necessary to prepare students for developing complex clinical environments. The essential aim of clinical nursing learning is to enhance the integration of theoretical knowledge in the clinical environment by using various innovative strategies, such as immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation to develop a learning process that allows students to gain knowledge and perform skills in a visually attractive way, which enhances the quality and safety of clinical learning through repeated exposure to educational content that supports students' cognitive and psychomotor skills. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of immersive VR simulation as a learning strategy on the acquisition of intramuscular injection skills in nursing education and the performance level of nursing students compared with a physical learning environment (low-fidelity simulation). <b><i>Materials and Metods:</i></b> The experimental design (pre-post-test) was used among first-year nursing students (<i>N</i> = 66) (control group = 33, hip model and experimental group = 33, VR simulation) of the summer semester of 2019-2020 in the Faculty of Nursing at Near East University in Cyprus. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There is a significant difference between both groups in performance psychomotor skills scores, and the mean was higher in the experimental group (<i>P</i> = 0.002) and a significantly longer period of time than in the control group (<i>P</i> < 0.05). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Immersive VR simulation is a supplementary tool and useful teaching-learning strategy for training in nursing education alongside physical laboratory (hip-model and mannequin) and psychomotor skills requiring the ordering of skill steps in teaching, and it provides realistic experiences in a safe environment instead of the unavailability of actual customers in clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142005563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julia Amaral Teixeira, Eduarda Bitencourt, Viviane Derhon, Brendon Stubbs, Felipe Barreto Schuch
Virtual reality (VR) exercise aims to offer positive affective and sensory experiences through an immersive experience rich in audiovisual stimuli. Notwithstanding, there is a paucity of large sample size studies comparing the acute effects of VR exercise compared with a matched exercise performed in a non-VR environment. The study compared the acute effects of a VR exercise session versus a matched non-VR exercise session in effect, pleasure, enjoyment, perceived exertion, and heart rate. This is a crossover randomized clinical trial. The time, difficulty, and exercise type of the non-VR exercise were matched to VR exercise. Before and immediately after each session, participants responded to the Borg's Perceived Exertion Scale, the Feeling Scale and the Felt Arousal Scale, and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. The analyses were conducted with Generalized Linear Models, Wilcoxon's, and T-test for paired samples. A total of 83 adults (40 females) aged 35.46 years were included in the study. Participants in the VR condition had a greater increase in affect (mean change difference = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83-1.06, P < 0.001), arousal (mean change difference = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.23-9.50, P < 0.001). The pleasure and enjoyment median after the VR session were higher. In conclusion, the immersive VR exercise was more strenuous, but resulted in a better affective response, greater pleasure, and enjoyment.
{"title":"Acute Affective Responses to Virtual Reality Exercise: A Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial.","authors":"Julia Amaral Teixeira, Eduarda Bitencourt, Viviane Derhon, Brendon Stubbs, Felipe Barreto Schuch","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2024.0026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2024.0026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Virtual reality (VR) exercise aims to offer positive affective and sensory experiences through an immersive experience rich in audiovisual stimuli. Notwithstanding, there is a paucity of large sample size studies comparing the acute effects of VR exercise compared with a matched exercise performed in a non-VR environment. The study compared the acute effects of a VR exercise session versus a matched non-VR exercise session in effect, pleasure, enjoyment, perceived exertion, and heart rate. This is a crossover randomized clinical trial. The time, difficulty, and exercise type of the non-VR exercise were matched to VR exercise. Before and immediately after each session, participants responded to the Borg's Perceived Exertion Scale, the Feeling Scale and the Felt Arousal Scale, and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. The analyses were conducted with Generalized Linear Models, Wilcoxon's, and T-test for paired samples. A total of 83 adults (40 females) aged 35.46 years were included in the study. Participants in the VR condition had a greater increase in affect (mean change difference = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.83-1.06, <i>P</i> < 0.001), arousal (mean change difference = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.23-9.50, <i>P</i> < 0.001). The pleasure and enjoyment median after the VR session were higher. In conclusion, the immersive VR exercise was more strenuous, but resulted in a better affective response, greater pleasure, and enjoyment.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141972064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objective: Hearing impaired (HI) children face challenges in establishing and maintaining relationships with their hearing (H) peers, leading to potential damages on their psychological well-being. The objective of this study is to introduce and validate design strategies and interaction strategies aimed at promoting social interaction between HI children and their H peers. Materials and Methods: With a specific focus on addressing the unique needs of HI children, the design strategies and interaction strategies were derived from the previous studies. To assess the effectiveness, these strategies were implemented in a game specifically designed to encourage peer interaction between HI and H children. Participants, including both HI and H children, were invited to experience the game and provide feedback. Results: The results demonstrated the efficacy of these strategies in fostering the social interaction between HI and H children. Participants exhibited increased engagement and cooperation during gameplay, indicating the successful facilitation of peer interactions. Conclusions: By validating design and interaction strategies through a specially designed peer interaction game, the research demonstrates the effectiveness of these strategies. The findings underscore the significance of tailored strategies that address the unique challenges faced by HI children in establishing interactions with their H peers. These validated strategies can serve as a foundation for creating inclusive environments that support the overall well-being and social integration of HI children in mainstream settings.
目的:听障(HI)儿童在与听障(H)同伴建立和维持关系方面面临挑战,这可能会对他们的心理健康造成损害。本研究旨在介绍和验证旨在促进听障儿童与听障同伴之间社会交往的设计策略和互动策略。材料和方法:设计策略和互动策略的重点是满足听障儿童的独特需求,这些设计策略和互动策略来自于以往的研究。为了评估这些策略的有效性,我们在一个游戏中实施了这些策略,该游戏是专门为鼓励听障儿童和听障儿童之间的同伴互动而设计的。我们邀请了包括听障儿童和健听儿童在内的参与者体验游戏并提供反馈意见。结果结果表明,这些策略在促进 HI 儿童和 H 儿童之间的社交互动方面非常有效。参与者在游戏过程中表现出了更高的参与度和合作性,这表明同伴间的互动得到了成功的促进。结论研究通过专门设计的同伴互动游戏验证了设计和互动策略,证明了这些策略的有效性。研究结果强调了量身定制的策略的重要性,这些策略可以解决 HI 儿童在与他们的 H 类同伴建立互动时所面临的独特挑战。这些经过验证的策略可以作为创建包容性环境的基础,从而为主流环境中的听障儿童的整体福祉和社会融合提供支持。
{"title":"Fostering Social Interaction Between Hearing Impaired and Hearing Children: The Validation of Design and Interaction Strategies Through a Peer Interaction Game.","authors":"Wenan Li, Ting Liu, Weihu Zhang, Kaiwen Guo, Zhibin Zhou","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2023.0144","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Objective:</i></b> Hearing impaired (HI) children face challenges in establishing and maintaining relationships with their hearing (H) peers, leading to potential damages on their psychological well-being. The objective of this study is to introduce and validate design strategies and interaction strategies aimed at promoting social interaction between HI children and their H peers. <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> With a specific focus on addressing the unique needs of HI children, the design strategies and interaction strategies were derived from the previous studies. To assess the effectiveness, these strategies were implemented in a game specifically designed to encourage peer interaction between HI and H children. Participants, including both HI and H children, were invited to experience the game and provide feedback. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The results demonstrated the efficacy of these strategies in fostering the social interaction between HI and H children. Participants exhibited increased engagement and cooperation during gameplay, indicating the successful facilitation of peer interactions. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> By validating design and interaction strategies through a specially designed peer interaction game, the research demonstrates the effectiveness of these strategies. The findings underscore the significance of tailored strategies that address the unique challenges faced by HI children in establishing interactions with their H peers. These validated strategies can serve as a foundation for creating inclusive environments that support the overall well-being and social integration of HI children in mainstream settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141908008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hasan Sepehri Bonab, Soghra Ebrahimi Sani, Behzad Behzadnia
Introduction: Autistic children may encounter difficulties in managing emotions and executive functions (EFs), which can contribute to mental and health challenges. Recognizing physical activities as a potential strategy for enhancing emotion regulation (ER), this study aims to investigate the efficacy of a virtual reality (VR)-based physical exercise program in improving ER and EFs among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Materials and Methods: Forty boys diagnosed with ASD, aged 7 to 10 years, were randomly assigned to two groups: a VR intervention group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The intervention group participated in a VR program, while the control group solely concentrated on engaging in sedentary and inactive video gaming. EFs were evaluated through the utilization of both the flanker task and the Wisconsin card sorting task, both administered initially at baseline and subsequently after an 8-week interval. In addition, the parents of the children completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist to evaluate their ER skills. Results: According to the results, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of EFs and the ability to regulate emotion (P < 0.05). The intervention group demonstrated a notable improvement in ER skills and exhibited superior executive functioning abilities compared with the control group. Conclusion: It appears that VR exercises can serve as a preliminary trial to enhance EFs and ER in children with autism. In addition, they may prove effective as complementary interventions to traditional educational strategies in preventing future challenges associated with ASD.
{"title":"The Impact of Virtual Reality Intervention on Emotion Regulation and Executive Functions in Autistic Children.","authors":"Hasan Sepehri Bonab, Soghra Ebrahimi Sani, Behzad Behzadnia","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0240","DOIUrl":"10.1089/g4h.2023.0240","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Autistic children may encounter difficulties in managing emotions and executive functions (EFs), which can contribute to mental and health challenges. Recognizing physical activities as a potential strategy for enhancing emotion regulation (ER), this study aims to investigate the efficacy of a virtual reality (VR)-based physical exercise program in improving ER and EFs among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). <b><i>Materials and Methods:</i></b> Forty boys diagnosed with ASD, aged 7 to 10 years, were randomly assigned to two groups: a VR intervention group (<i>n</i> = 20) and a control group (<i>n</i> = 20). The intervention group participated in a VR program, while the control group solely concentrated on engaging in sedentary and inactive video gaming. EFs were evaluated through the utilization of both the flanker task and the Wisconsin card sorting task, both administered initially at baseline and subsequently after an 8-week interval. In addition, the parents of the children completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist to evaluate their ER skills. <b><i>Results:</i></b> According to the results, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of EFs and the ability to regulate emotion (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The intervention group demonstrated a notable improvement in ER skills and exhibited superior executive functioning abilities compared with the control group. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> It appears that VR exercises can serve as a preliminary trial to enhance EFs and ER in children with autism. In addition, they may prove effective as complementary interventions to traditional educational strategies in preventing future challenges associated with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141898641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Emily M He, Faaizah Arshad, Brian S-K Li, Ryan Brinda, Avani Ganesan, Lijin Zhang, Sammy Fehr, Meghana Renavikar, Samuel T Rodriguez, Ellen Wang, Oswaldo Rosales, Thomas J Caruso
Background: Hospitalized pediatric patients and their caregivers often experience anxiety and fear, resulting in withdrawal and aggression. Despite virtual reality (VR) being a safe and effective anxiolytic, it is unknown what software design aspects contribute to its effectiveness. This prospective observational study evaluated which VR application elements increased awe, which is correlated with improved behavior and satisfaction. Methods: Patients aged 6 to 25 years and their caregivers at an academic pediatric hospital interacted with a custom VR application that compared design aspects, including environment, graphics fidelity, and presence of a motivational character. Outcomes investigated self-reported awe, vastness, accommodation, and engagement. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA tests and correlation analyses. Results: A total of 202 participants were enrolled, and 179 (88 pediatric patients, 91 adult caregivers) were included in the final analysis. A fictional environment was more effective at increasing awe in pediatric patients (P = 0.030) compared with a realistic environment. However, increased graphics fidelity was more effective at increasing awe in caregiver adults (P = 0.023) compared with low resolution graphics. Presence of a motivational character did not influence awe in either patients or caregivers (P = 0.432, P = 0.904, respectively). All measures of awe were positively correlated with application engagement (P < 0.005). Conclusion: In conclusion, when software developers design VR software for pediatric patients and their caregivers, fictional settings and increased graphic fidelity should be considered for pediatric patients and adults, respectively. Future studies will explore other VR elements in gameplay settings.
{"title":"Awe Inducing Elements in Virtual Reality Applications: A Prospective Study of Hospitalized Children and Caregivers.","authors":"Emily M He, Faaizah Arshad, Brian S-K Li, Ryan Brinda, Avani Ganesan, Lijin Zhang, Sammy Fehr, Meghana Renavikar, Samuel T Rodriguez, Ellen Wang, Oswaldo Rosales, Thomas J Caruso","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2024.0050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2024.0050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Background:</i></b> Hospitalized pediatric patients and their caregivers often experience anxiety and fear, resulting in withdrawal and aggression. Despite virtual reality (VR) being a safe and effective anxiolytic, it is unknown what software design aspects contribute to its effectiveness. This prospective observational study evaluated which VR application elements increased awe, which is correlated with improved behavior and satisfaction. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Patients aged 6 to 25 years and their caregivers at an academic pediatric hospital interacted with a custom VR application that compared design aspects, including environment, graphics fidelity, and presence of a motivational character. Outcomes investigated self-reported awe, vastness, accommodation, and engagement. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA tests and correlation analyses. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 202 participants were enrolled, and 179 (88 pediatric patients, 91 adult caregivers) were included in the final analysis. A fictional environment was more effective at increasing awe in pediatric patients (<i>P</i> = 0.030) compared with a realistic environment. However, increased graphics fidelity was more effective at increasing awe in caregiver adults (<i>P</i> = 0.023) compared with low resolution graphics. Presence of a motivational character did not influence awe in either patients or caregivers (<i>P</i> = 0.432, <i>P</i> = 0.904, respectively). All measures of awe were positively correlated with application engagement (<i>P</i> < 0.005). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> In conclusion, when software developers design VR software for pediatric patients and their caregivers, fictional settings and increased graphic fidelity should be considered for pediatric patients and adults, respectively. Future studies will explore other VR elements in gameplay settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141898594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hina Faisal, Wesley Lim, Antara Dattagupta, Peter Lin, Rohan Gupta, Eugene C Lai, Jiaqiong Xu, Stephen T Wong, Faisal N Masud
Background: The aim of the current pilot study was to evaluate the usability, acceptability, and tolerability of virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive stimulation exercises (CSEs) in healthy young versus old populations before health care integration. A secondary aim was to assess the accuracy of VR games as a proxy for cognitive stimulation, specifically for attention. VR-based CSEs promise to improve attention and brain function through varied learning systems. Methods: This is a Phase 1 feasibility clinical trial at a single center. It involves 30 healthy volunteers randomly selected using the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification system. Participants fall into ASA 1 (age >18-35 years, n = 15) or ASA 2 (age >60 years, n = 15) categories. All participants tested the ReCognitionVR-based CSEs. Feasibility criterion: Participants in each group were monitored for completion of 20 minutes of VR-based CSEs. Acceptability criterion: Proportion of participants with system usability scale (SUS) >35 or SUS score of 87.5. Safety (tolerability) monitoring: Sessions were monitored for neurological, cardiovascular, or pulmonary adverse events (AEs). Safety criterion: No more than 10% of sessions stopped due to neurological, cardiovascular, or pulmonary AEs. Results: The primary outcome (feasibility) of ReCognitionVR-based CSEs was 100%. For the secondary outcome (acceptability), there was no group difference in SUS scores (ASA 1 = 88.17 ± 12.83 vs. ASA 2 = 88.39 ± 10.22, P = 0.81). For the tertiary outcome (safety), mild transient uneasiness was reported by two (13.4%) ASA 1 participants (resolved in 2 minutes), and one (6.67%) ASA 1 participant experienced a temporary >20% increase in blood pressure from baseline. No ASA 2 participants had AEs. Conclusion: The feasibility, acceptability, and safety of ReCognitionVR-based CSEs in healthy elderly volunteers are acceptable, indicating that the evaluation of the ReCognitionVR-based CSEs in hospitalized patients is reasonable.
{"title":"Usability and Tolerability of Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Stimulation in Healthy Elderly Volunteers-A Feasibility Clinical Trial.","authors":"Hina Faisal, Wesley Lim, Antara Dattagupta, Peter Lin, Rohan Gupta, Eugene C Lai, Jiaqiong Xu, Stephen T Wong, Faisal N Masud","doi":"10.1089/g4h.2024.0039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2024.0039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b><i>Background:</i></b> The aim of the current pilot study was to evaluate the usability, acceptability, and tolerability of virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive stimulation exercises (CSEs) in healthy young versus old populations before health care integration. A secondary aim was to assess the accuracy of VR games as a proxy for cognitive stimulation, specifically for attention. VR-based CSEs promise to improve attention and brain function through varied learning systems. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This is a Phase 1 feasibility clinical trial at a single center. It involves 30 healthy volunteers randomly selected using the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification system. Participants fall into ASA 1 (age >18-35 years, <i>n</i> = 15) or ASA 2 (age >60 years, <i>n</i> = 15) categories. All participants tested the ReCognitionVR-based CSEs. Feasibility criterion: Participants in each group were monitored for completion of 20 minutes of VR-based CSEs. Acceptability criterion: Proportion of participants with system usability scale (SUS) >35 or SUS score of 87.5. Safety (tolerability) monitoring: Sessions were monitored for neurological, cardiovascular, or pulmonary adverse events (AEs). Safety criterion: No more than 10% of sessions stopped due to neurological, cardiovascular, or pulmonary AEs. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The primary outcome (feasibility) of ReCognitionVR-based CSEs was 100%. For the secondary outcome (acceptability), there was no group difference in SUS scores (ASA 1 = 88.17 ± 12.83 vs. ASA 2 = 88.39 ± 10.22, <i>P</i> = 0.81). For the tertiary outcome (safety), mild transient uneasiness was reported by two (13.4%) ASA 1 participants (resolved in 2 minutes), and one (6.67%) ASA 1 participant experienced a temporary >20% increase in blood pressure from baseline. No ASA 2 participants had AEs. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The feasibility, acceptability, and safety of ReCognitionVR-based CSEs in healthy elderly volunteers are acceptable, indicating that the evaluation of the ReCognitionVR-based CSEs in hospitalized patients is reasonable.</p>","PeriodicalId":47401,"journal":{"name":"Games for Health Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141898642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}