Bridging clinical science and video

games for children’s mental health

Marlou Poppelaars

Games for Health Europe

October 2014 Utrecht

m.poppelaars@pwo.ru.nl

Prevention of depression

Motivation

• Motivation for treatment/ change

• Self-determination theory

Competence AutonomyConnectedness

SPARX

Video game developed to target depressive symptoms in adolescents

through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles

• Interactive fantasy video game

• Active practice of CBT principles effective depression treatment

• 2 effectiveness studies in New Zealand show positive results

Guide introduces CBT

principles interactively

CBT principles are

practiced in gameplay

CBT principles are

visualized

Symbolic representation

of depression

Developed by University of Auckland

Study design

• Screening 962 girls

• 208 participants

• Random assignment

Completion

• 8.2% attrition

• > 85% program participation

“Op Volle Kracht” a classroom-based

program to prevent

depression

QuestionnairesNo active intervention

SPARXInteractive fantasy

video game

VS.

VS.

OVK & SPARXCombination of both

video game and

classes

Results

p = 0.098

Motivation & Conclusion

Take home message (so far):• Depressive symptoms decreased through SPARX, similar to the classroom-based CBT

program and monitoring control in the short term.

• In the long term effects SPARX appears slightly more effective in retaining results.

• Motivation in SPARX is not optimal.

3.5

4

4.5

5

T0 T1 T5

Au

ton

om

ou

s M

oti

va

tio

n

Time

Control

OVK

SPARX

OVK&SPARX

1.5

2

2.5

3

T0 T1 T5

Co

ntr

oll

ed M

oti

va

tion

Time

Control

OVK

SPARX

OVK&SPARX

Experiment: WAY

•Participants play in pairs

•Random assignment to trailers

71,3% Female

Mean age = 20.4 years

N=66 N=63

VS

Preliminary Results

•Intrinsic motivation is high and similar in both conditions

• Less autonomy is experienced in the mental health condition•p<.01, d=0.46, medium effect size

*

Preliminary Results

Those who show depressive symptoms are more strongly affected by the game.

*

Future development

Focus on Motivation & Effects

Developing with

Game designers

Youth

Researchers

Psychologists

Prototype

Motivation

Effects

Game design

Thanks to: