Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35413001›Full record

ArticleJMIR formative research2022

Video Game to Attenuate Pandemic-Related Stress From an Equity Lens: Development and Usability Study.

Nadia Minian, Anika Saiva, Allison Gayapersad, Rosa Dragonetti, Catherine Proulx, Patricia Debergue, Julia Lecce, Sarwar Hussain, Eric Desjardins, Peter Selby

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR formative research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 30% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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

10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Nadia MinianNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8179-3628
Anika SaivaNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0609-9497
Allison GayapersadNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8527-9869
Rosa DragonettiNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8539-1762
Catherine ProulxMedical Devices Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Boucherville, QC, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1776-2082
Patricia DebergueMedical Devices Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Boucherville, QC, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6129-7149
Julia LecceNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3677-541X
Sarwar HussainNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5672-3617
Eric DesjardinsMedical Devices Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Boucherville, QC, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1839-7152
Peter SelbyNicotine Dependence Service, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5401-2996
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health · CANational Research Council Canada · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has introduced additional pressures on an already fragile mental health care system due to a significant rise in depression, anxiety, and stress among Canadians. Although cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is known to be an efficacious treatment to reduce such mental health issues, few people have access to CBT in an engaging and sustainable manner. To address this gap, a collaboration between the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) developed CBT-based self-led, online, clinician-tested modules in the form of a video game, named Legend of Evelys, and evaluated its usability in the attenuation of a COVID-19-related increase in stress.

objectiveWe here present the conceptualization and design of new self-care modules in the form of a video game, its implementation in a technological infrastructure, and inclusivity and privacy considerations that informed the development. A usability study of the modules was performed to assess the video game's usability, user engagement, and user perceptions.

methodsThe development of the video game involved establishment of a technology infrastructure for secure implementation of the software for the modules and a clinician-led assessment of the clinical utility of these modules through two "whiteboard" sessions. The usability study was informed by a mixed methods sequential explanatory design to evaluate the intervention of the mobile app through two distinct phases: quantitative data collection using in-app analytics data and two surveys, followed by qualitative data collection by semistructured interviews.

resultsA total of 32 participants trialed the app for 2 weeks. They used the video game an average of six times and rated the game as "good" based on the Systems Usability Scale score. In terms of stress reduction, the study demonstrated a significant difference in the participants' Perceived Stress Scale score at baseline (mean 22.14, SD 6.187) compared with that at the 2-week follow-up (mean 18.04, SD 6.083; t

conclusionsThrough this collaboration, we have established that it is possible to incorporate CBT exercises into a video game and have these exercises adopted to address stress. While video games are a promising strategy to help people with their stress and anxiety, there is a further need to examine the real-world effectiveness of the Legend of Evelys in reducing anxiety.

Indexed as

anxietycognitive behavioral therapyCOVID-19depressiondigital healthdigital therapyMental healthmental health care systemself-caretechnological infrastructureusability studyuser engagementuser perceptionvideo game developmentvideo games

Identifiers

PMID35413001
PMCPMC9136657
OpenAlexW4223449923

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.