games for mental health. videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
TRANSCRIPT
Games for Mental HealthVideogames as innovative interventions in residential
youth care
Angela Schuurmans
PhD CandidatePluryn and Radboud University
Nijmegen
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Residential care is a challenge!
Youths show severe behavioral problems, often combined with psychiatric disorders and/or intellectual disability.
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Limitations of conventional CBT-based treatment programs• Didactic learning format• Limited generalizability• Not intrinsically motivating
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Residential treatment focus on externalizing behavior
However… ± 75% of youths show comorbid anxiety
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Cognitive behavioral therapy Videogames• Didactic learning format • Limited generalizability • Not intrinsically motivating
• Focus on externalizing problems
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Cognitive behavioral therapy Videogames• Didactic learning format Playful learning• Limited generalizability • Not intrinsically motivating
• Focus on externalizing problems
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Cognitive behavioral therapy Videogames• Didactic learning format Playful learning• Limited generalizability In-game practice• Not intrinsically motivating
• Focus on externalizing problems
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Cognitive behavioral therapy Videogames• Didactic learning format Playful learning• Limited generalizability In-game practice• Not intrinsically motivating Gaming is fun!
• Focus on externalizing problems
Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Cognitive behavioral therapy Videogames• Didactic learning format Playful learning• Limited generalizability In-game practice• Not intrinsically motivating Gaming is fun!
• Focus on externalizing problems Focus on underlying emotion-regulation
mechanisms (Dojo-specific)
“Dojo” A Videogame Intervention for Youths with Anxiety and Externalizing Problems
“Dojo” A Videogame Intervention for Youths with Anxiety and Externalizing Problems
A randomized controlled trial (N = 37)31 boys, 6 girls, mean age 13.87 years (SD = 1.88)
• Experimental condition (n = 18) 8 sessions of 30 minutes gameplay & treatment as usual• Control condition (n = 19) treatment as usual
Trial designed according to the CONSORT guidelines. Ethical review and approval were provided by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen (ECSW2013-1811-154) and the procedure was registered in the Trial Register for RCTs (www.trialregister.nl; Trial ID: NTR4477).
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Measurements• Anxiety (Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale; SCAS)• Externalizing problems (Strengths and Difficulties
Questionnaire; SDQ)
• Baseline, posttreatment, and four-month follow-up• Self-report and mentor-report
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Anxiety self-report
Baseline to post-test p = .017, η2p
= .156Baseline to follow-upp = .299, η2
p = .034
Baseline Post-test Follow-up12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
DojoControl
Anxiety mentor-report
Baseline to post-test p = .028, η2p
= .135
Baseline Post-test12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
DojoControl
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Externalizing problems self-report
Baseline to post-test p = .049, η2p
= .109Baseline to follow-upp = .057, η2
p = .083
Baseline Post-test Follow-up7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
DojoControl
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Externalizing problems mentor-report
Baseline to post-test p = .168, η2p
= .055
Baseline Post-test7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
DojoControl
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Summary
Anxiety• Youth self-report: post-test ↓ • Mentor-report: post-test ↓
Externalizing problems• Youth self-report: post-test and four-month follow-up ↓• Mentor-report: ≈
Thus, three our of four outcome measures show a decrease. All three with medium effect sizes, which is comparable to conventional treatment.
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Does it work? A randomized controlled trial
Conclusions
• The effects of “Dojo” are comparable to those of traditional interventions
• Youths’ evaluated “Dojo” very positive
• Implementation within Pluryn
Karin NijhofSenior researcher, Pluryn
Ignace VermaesDirector Quality of Care and Innovation, Pluryn
Isabela GranicProfessor, Radboud University Nijmegen
Rutger EngelsCEO, Trimbos InstituteProfessor, Radboud University Nijmegen
Games for Mental Health. Videogames as innovative interventions in residential youth care
Thank you! Angela SchuurmansPhD candidatePluryn and Radboud University [email protected]@pluryn.nl