Speaker at the Games for Health Europe Conference 2014

1. 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

2. Prevention of depression

3. Motivation
• Motivation for treatment/ change
• Self-determination theory
Connectedness Competence Autonomy

4. 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

5. 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
Questionnaires
No active intervention
SPARX
Interactive fantasy
video game
VS.
VS.
OVK & SPARX
Combination of both
video game and
classes

6. Results
p = 0.098

7. 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
Autonomous Motivation
Time
Control
OVK
SPARX
OVK&SPARX
1.5
2
2.5
3
T0 T1 T5
Controlled Motivation
Time
Control
OVK
SPARX
OVK&SPARX

8. Experiment: WAY
•Participants play in pairs
•Random assignment to trailers
71,3% Female
Mean age = 20.4 years
N=66 N=63
VS

9. 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
*

10. Preliminary Results
Those who show depressive symptoms are more strongly affected by the game.
*

11. Future development
Focus on Motivation & Effects
Developing with
Game designers
Youth
Researchers
Psychologists
Prototype
Motivation
Effects
Game
design

12. Thanks to: