Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24810933›Full record

SynthesisCyberpsychology, behavior and social networking2014

Game-based digital interventions for depression therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jinhui Li, Yin-Leng Theng, Schubert Foo

4 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 83 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
83citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
8.9field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03830372 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the "VRTierOne" Virtual Therapeutic Game as a Method Supporting the Post-stroke Rehabilitation

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2019 to 2020Enrolled39ConditionsStroke, DepressionArmsVR Tier One, Control
NCT04045977 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy as a Method Supporting the Cardiac Rehabilitation

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2019 to 2019Enrolled34ConditionsCardiovascular Diseases, Coronary Artery Disease, Depressive Symptoms, Mood DisordersArmsCardiac rehabilitation, Virtual therapeutic support, Standard therapeutic support
NCT04047511 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Immersive Virtual Therapy as a Method Supporting the Non-Farmacological Treatment of Late-Life Depression

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2019 to 2019Enrolled23ConditionsDepressive Symptoms, Depression, AnxietyArmsVRTierOne, Group general fitness training, Group Psychoeducation
NCT04313777 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

The Evaluation of Virtual Reality Therapy Efficacy in the Treatment of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

TypeinterventionalSponsorWroclaw University of Health and Sport SciencesRan2020 to 2020Enrolled77ConditionsCardiovascular Diseases, Coronary Artery Disease, Depressive Symptoms, Mood DisordersArmsCardiac rehabilitation, Virtual therapeutic support, Schultz Autogenic Training
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

83 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 235 citations in OpenAlex.

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  12. A Novel Macro-Level Model in Evaluating Health and Safety Training Based on Virtual Reality.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
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23 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jinhui LiWee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University , Singapore .
Yin-Leng Theng
Schubert Foo
Nanyang Technological University · SG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The aim of this study was to review the existing literature on game-based digital interventions for depression systematically and examine their effectiveness through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Database searching was conducted using specific search terms and inclusion criteria. A standard meta-analysis was also conducted of available RCT studies with a random effects model. The standard mean difference (Cohen's d) was used to calculate the effect size of each study. Nineteen studies were included in the review, and 10 RCTs (eight studies) were included in the meta-analysis. Four types of game interventions-psycho-education and training, virtual reality exposure therapy, exercising, and entertainment-were identified, with various types of support delivered and populations targeted. The meta-analysis revealed a moderate effect size of the game interventions for depression therapy at posttreatment (d=-0.47 [95% CI -0.69 to -0.24]). A subgroup analysis showed that interventions based on psycho-education and training had a smaller effect than those based on the other forms, and that self-help interventions yielded better outcomes than supported interventions. A higher effect was achieved when a waiting list was used as the control. The review and meta-analysis support the effectiveness of game-based digital interventions for depression. More large-scale, high-quality RCT studies with sufficient long-term data for treatment evaluation are needed.

Indexed as

Game TheoryDepressionFemaleHumans

Identifiers

PMID24810933
PMCPMC4118698
OpenAlexW2038850367

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.