Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40173436›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2025

Escape Game to Promote Students' Mental Health Outcomes in the Aftermaths of COVID-19 Pandemic: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study Evaluating a Cocreated Intervention.

David Labrosse, Clara Vié, Mireille Harb, Ilaria Montagni

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06720792 (An Escape Game to Promote Students' Mental Health Outcomes in the Aftermaths of Covid-19 Pandemic), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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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.

NCT06720792 narecruitingnot on this map

An Escape Game to Promote Students' Mental Health Outcomes in the Aftermaths of Covid-19 Pandemic: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating a Cocreated Intervention

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of BordeauxRan2022 to 2025Enrolled191ConditionsMental HealthArmsEscapeCovid
3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

David LabrosseTricky, Bordeaux, France.ORCID 0009-0003-4701-8646
Clara ViéBordeaux Population Health U1219, Inserm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.ORCID 0009-0005-6053-7963
Mireille HarbBordeaux Population Health U1219, Inserm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.ORCID 0009-0007-1871-4019
Ilaria MontagniBordeaux Population Health U1219, Inserm, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.ORCID 0000-0003-0076-0010

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and the protracted lockdowns have heavily impacted university students' mental health. Digital Escape Games represent a good means to reach students and propose them solutions for their psychological well-being.

objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate a cocreated digital Escape Game on students' mental health in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, called EscapeCovid Game. The evaluation of the effectiveness of this stand-alone intervention concerns mental health outcomes (mental health literacy, appraisal and change of beliefs about mental health, management of emotions, and development of coping strategies) and the appreciation and relevance of the game.

methodsA randomized controlled trial with pre- and posttest data collection (online questionnaires with validated scales) is conducted among 500 students in Bordeaux, France, to evaluate the EscapeCovid Game cocreated with students, researchers, health professionals, and web developers. A subsample of students is randomly selected for responding to a semistructured interview following a mixed methods design. Recruitment is done through mail invitations from student associations and presentations in university classes. Half of the sample of the trial plays the Escape Game, while the other half receives an email with mental health-related information. Within the game, students discuss their personal experiences. The text is further used for the qualitative analyses. The whole study is carried out online.

resultsThe EscapeCovid Game has been developed, tested, and finalized by the end of March 2023. As of November 4, 2024, a total of 191 students have answered the baseline questionnaire (90 intervention vs 101 control). A total of 23 students have played the game and 53 are in the control arm. Among participants, by the end of September 20, 2023, twenty were interviewed (10 intervention and 10 control) reaching sample saturation. According to preliminary results, the EscapeCovid Game has had a positive impact on all defined outcomes, while the email has been effective in increasing knowledge on resources available and on coping strategies and meditation techniques. We expect the trial to be completed by the end of June 2025.

conclusionsThe mixed methods findings of this study are due to demonstrate the effectiveness of the EscapeCovid Game in improving students' mental health outcomes. Preliminary results from the qualitative substudy are promising: in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, this intervention is intended to promote players' mental health through gamification, knowledge transfer, and a learning-by-doing approach.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06720792; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06720792. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/64068.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental HealthStudentsVideo GamesAdaptation, PsychologicalFemaleFranceHumansMalePandemicsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSurveys and QuestionnairesUniversitiesYoung AdultcocreationCovid-19Escape gamemobile phonepilot randomized controlled trialstudents

Identifiers

PMID40173436
PMCPMC12004027

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LicenceCC BY
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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.