Games for Health Journal最新文献

Objective: Gaming has been suggested as an effective way to exchange social support, a resource critical to global mental health and post-pandemic recovery. Virtual and analog (pen-and-paper) table-top role-playing game (TTRPG) popularity grew during and following the pandemic; yet, unlike their video-game counterparts research into TTRPGs remains limited. Parallel to online video-games, TTRPGs may be similarly positioned to foster and promote social support. Informed by analogous gaming research, this study explored how players give and receive social support within face-to-face and virtual TTRPGs through a stress buffering lens. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey methodology, based on the 2-way social support scale data from 186 participants was analyzed to determine if differences exist across social, demographic and gameplay variables. Results: Participants derived more meaningful social support through analog TTRPGs, although virtual TTRPG interfaces still afford meaningful social support, while benefiting from greater accessibility. Participants in the role of "game masters", who act as game facilitators and narrators, were shown to provide more social support than players, while greater levels of social support encouraged ongoing attendance. Additionally, players' consistent attendance and social familiarity enhanced given and received social support. Lastly, although similar social support was reported across genders, males were overrepresented in game-directing positions of power. Conclusion: This is the first known study to explore social support within TTRPGs. The findings have implications for the design of games to support communities, post-pandemic recovery, and therapeutic applications. Future research is encouraged.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of escape room simulation intervention on the knowledge, anxiety, and satisfaction levels of students in emergency nursing education. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted with 40 students studying at the nursing faculty of a university in Istanbul. The students in the intervention group (n = 20) were given an escape room simulation intervention related to emergency nursing education. The students in the control group (n = 20) were not given any intervention other than the traditional education method. Data were collected using the Knowledge Test, State Anxiety Scale, and Visual Analog Scale for satisfaction. Results: The knowledge level of the students in the intervention group measured immediately after the education (P = 0.003), 1 week after the education (P < 0.001), and 1 month after the education (P < 0.001) was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group. While no significant difference was found in anxiety levels before and after the education between the groups, a significant difference was found in anxiety levels before and after the training in the intervention group (P < 0.001). The satisfaction level measured immediately after the education was found to be significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study show that escape room simulation increased emergency nursing knowledge and satisfaction and reduced anxiety levels of the students. It is recommended that escape room simulation intervention be used in more studies in nursing education. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.tr with the number NCT06619119.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of the second-generation virtual reality intervention (SG-VRI) on the hot and cold executive functions (EFs) of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Seventy children were included in the study and randomly divided into control (n = 35) and intervention (n = 35) groups. Stroop TBAG Form, Trail Making Test, and Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory were administered to the participants before SG-VRI. SG-VRI was applied to the intervention group as two sessions per week for 8 weeks. During this period, the control group did not receive any intervention. Results: At the end of these 8 weeks, assessment tests were administered to both groups again. The final results showed that the SG-VRI was effective in improving hot and cold EF skills of children with ADHD (P < 0.05). Conclusion: We believe that the use of virtual reality interventions may be effective in the cognitive rehabilitation processes of children with ADHD.

Background: Overweight and obesity are growing concerns and significant risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, especially in industrialized nations, necessitating innovative intervention strategies. Serious games designed to provide education and effectively promote behavior change have emerged as a potential solution. Methods: This research assesses a serious game developed as a modification of the popular video game "Minecraft" called "NutriMine." This modification was created based on identified requirements from a nutrition expert through a qualitative interview and a preliminary evaluation conducted in a pilot study with 11 users. Additionally, a playtest and evaluation with 20 participants from the target group, incorporating the user engagement scale (UES), system usability scale (SUS), and game experience questionnaire (GEQ), was conducted. Results: The results indicated a satisfactory level of engagement. Overall, findings also revealed positive feedback concerning the SUS (75% of participants scored above 70) and UES (75% of participants scored above 3), with most results positioned in the upper half for both scales. The evaluation using the GEQ yielded generally positive outcomes, with minor concerns related to "competence," "flow," and "immersion" due to the varying levels of Minecraft experience among participants. The combined results of the evaluation led to the formulation of requirements for a serious game modification in the area of nutrition. Conclusion: The results highlight the modification's potential for larger-scale use as an effective behavior change tool for individuals seeking to maintain a healthy diet.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of MazeOut, an adaptive serious game for motor rehabilitation, in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), by comparing their performance and usability with that of individuals with typical development (TD) and assessing the impact of adaptive (AG) versus nonadaptive gameplay on task performance. Materials and Methods: A mixed-design study with 30 participants (15 ASD, 15 TD), aged 8 to 40 years, had each participant experience both adaptive and nonadaptive interventions in randomized order, allowing within- and between-subject comparisons. Performance was measured using overall scores (based on maze navigation speed and coin collection), and usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS). Data analysis was conducted using R software, with performance trends evaluated through segmented regression and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The TD group outperformed the ASD group across all conditions (TD median score: 27.54; ASD median score: 23.79, P < 0.001). Notably, participants in both groups achieved significantly better performance when AG was introduced first (ASD: 24.04 vs. 19.1, P < 0.001; TD: 30.2 vs. 24.31, P = 0.005), suggesting that the adaptation facilitates initial task learning. ASD participants reported slightly higher usability (mean SUS = 77.2) than TD participants (74.6), with the highest scores among younger users (81.9). Conclusions: Adaptive serious games can enhance motor performance, particularly for individuals with ASD. The findings suggest that early exposure to AG may improve task performance. Future studies with larger samples and longer interventions are needed to assess long-term benefits.

Objective: Cooking plays a crucial role in healthy eating, and food exposure during cooking significantly influences people's health and well-being. Given the challenges faced by novice cooks and the general lack of interest in cooking, this research proposes utilizing a highly engaging cooking game as an alternative to real-life cooking, allowing individuals to achieve the same health-boosting benefits as traditional cooking while enjoying the game. Additionally, this study will examine the moderating role of food type and cooking manner in this process. Methods: Two preregistered behavioral experiments (N_study1 = 60, N_study2 = 54) were conducted to examine how using different types of food (healthy vs. unhealthy) in a cooking game affects subsequent food choices, and how the cooking manner (neat vs. messy) moderates this effect. Results: Study 1 found that cooking healthy food led to healthier food choices after gaming. Study 2 revealed a significant moderating effect of cooking manner: When cooking healthy food, a neat cooking manner led individuals to subsequently choose fewer healthy foods, while a messy cooking manner led to an increase; conversely, when cooking unhealthy food, participants who cooked neatly chose more healthy food, while those who cooked messily chose less healthy food. Conclusions: These findings suggest that an engaging cooking game could replace real-life cooking as a direct and effective strategy to promote healthy eating. The results also highlight the importance of context-specific strategies in designing and implementing health interventions to prevent unintended consequences arising from excessive cues.

Objectives: Intergenerational games offer a potential channel to impact parent-youth sexual health communication. The "Secret of Seven Stones" (SSS) is an 18-level online adventure game and parent website designed to engage parents and youth (11-14 years) in conversations about healthy dating relationships and sexual behavior and to provide sexual health skills training to youth. Study hypotheses were that SSS exposure would increase sexual health parent-child communication, increase youth intentions to delay sexual debut, and reduce youth exposure to situations that promote sexual activity. Materials and Methods: SSS was evaluated in the homes of parent-youth dyads randomly assigned to intervention (n = 40) and comparison (n = 45) conditions. Online surveys were used to collect baseline and three-month follow-up data on dyadic sexual health communication, determinants for communication and youth sexual behavior, and game usability ratings. Results: Dyads comprised parents (n = 83, 47% white, 93% female, 44.4 ± 5.8 years) and youth (n = 83, 42% white, 54% male, 12.9 ± 1.1 years, and 96% sexually inexperienced). Frequency of parent-youth sexual health communication and youth communication self-efficacy increased in those playing SSS compared with those in the comparison group (P < 0.01). Youth perceived parent-youth communication as more open and demonstrated significant improvement in condom and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection knowledge and perceptions of parents' beliefs about sex (<0.001). Usability ratings were higher on ease, credibility, and helpfulness (all >78%) but lower on duration and appeal (<56%). Conclusion: This study demonstrated the utility of an in-home intergenerational sexual health education game to impact parent-youth communication by short-term follow-up. Further investigation of longer-term behavioral impact is indicated.

Background: Upper limb (UL) impairments can affect fine motor control, including the ability to grasp and manipulate objects. Exergames, an innovative and technology-driven intervention, may enhance patient engagement and adherence to rehabilitation exercises. However, there is limited evidence assessing their feasibility in the acute care setting, immediate post-stroke. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of exergames among acute and subacute stroke survivors and to identify factors influencing their acceptability and usability. Methods: A quasi-experimental, one-group post-test design was employed, with convenience sampling to recruit acute and subacute stroke patients experiencing UL impairments. Participants engaged in two exergames, "Fishing" and "Brave Bird," at least once. These games were specifically designed to promote improved hand and finger movement. Post-intervention data were collected using the technology acceptance model (TAM) questionnaire, measuring user-friendliness, attitudes, and intentions for future use. Results: A total of 47 participants were recruited, with a mean age of 61.2 years. The overall mean TAM score was 70.72 (±12.64; range: 39-84/84), indicating high acceptance and usability of the exergames. Younger participants showed significantly higher TAM scores (76.24 ± 6.56; P = 0.026). Males had higher scores (72.67 ± 12.75) compared with females (67.95 ± 12.28). Participants with higher education had the greatest TAM scores (77.11 ± 4.44), while bedbound participants reported the lowest scores (45 ± 8.49). Conclusions: Exergames were feasible and acceptable for UL recovery in acute stroke patients. User acceptance varied by age, gender, education, and mobility, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches in designing technology-based rehabilitation interventions.

Objective: User experience plays a crucial role in the interaction with virtual reality systems, especially in rehabilitation games for patients with brain injuries, who often face cognitive and motor challenges. User experience influences factors such as acceptance, engagement, and, importantly, the effectiveness of the intervention, all of which are key to achieving optimal recovery outcomes. While previous studies have examined the experiences of neurological populations, they have often focused on a single construct and used instruments that include irrelevant or confounding items. The objective of this study was to assess the perceived usability, presence, flow, competence, pleasant and unpleasant sensations, and utility of non-immersive virtual reality-based rehabilitation games targeting motor and cognitive functions in patients with stroke and traumatic brain injury. Materials and Methods: Thirty adults with stroke or traumatic brain injury interacted with three non-immersive virtual reality games targeting motor and cognitive skills, and then completed standardized instruments assessing the above constructs. Results: The results revealed high usability, strong presence, and a positive flow experience. Participants also reported high levels of competence and pleasant sensations, with low levels of unpleasant sensations, indicating a generally favorable user experience. Utility was positively perceived. Analysis of demographic and clinical factors showed no significant impact of sex on most constructs, although women reported higher flow and enjoyment. Etiology, however, had a significant effect, with patients with traumatic brain injury reporting more positive experiences across all constructs compared to patients with stroke. Neither age nor time since injury significantly influenced the results. These findings highlight the importance of understanding specific user experience constructs and the influence of demographic and clinical factors in designing effective and engaging virtual reality rehabilitation games.

Objective: To design a randomized controlled trial combining resistance exercise and cognitive intervention to carry out a dual-task computer-aided product design that combines hardware and software to explore the effects of different intensities of resistance exercise on cognitive function in elderly individuals with cognitive decline. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight participants (aged between 60 and 75 years) who satisfied the specified criteria were randomly assigned to one of four groups as follows: control (n = 12), low intensity (n = 12), medium intensity (n = 12), and high intensity (n = 12). The control group exclusively underwent cognitive training, whereas the experimental group underwent dual-task training at varying resistance exercise intensities. The main outcomes were short-term effects on cognitive function and lower limb strength using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), One-Rep Max (1RM) data, and training scores. The secondary outcomes were the effects of the participants' subjective fatigue and the system availability of the product. Results: The experimental group subjected to medium-intensity exercise exhibited the most substantial improvement in MoCA score (P = 0.017). All the groups achieved training scores that were substantially higher than the initial data (P < 0.05), and significant 1RM values were obtained for the left and right legs in the middle- and high-strength groups (P < 0.05). In addition, the participants indicated a positive experience with the application. Conclusions: Overall, we found support for the feasibility and acceptability of the product developed by dual-task therapy based on resistance exercise combined with cognitive intervention and showed the initial impact prospect of moderate-intensity resistance exercise. Future applications should be replicated in older individuals with Clinical trial registration: NCT06220565 Ethical approval: H2022013I decline.