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Contribution title Serious games for promoting mental health literacy in children and adolescents: Results of a systematic review and outline of a new intervention
Contribution code D3.002
Authors
  1. Michael Zeiler Medical University of Vienna Presenter
  2. Sandra Vögl Medical University of Vienna
  3. Ursula Prinz Ferdinand Porsche FernFH - Distance Learning University of Applied Sciences
  4. Nino Werner Ferdinand Porsche FernFH - Distance Learning University of Applied Sciences
  5. Gudrun Wagner Medical University of Vienna
  6. Andreas Karwautz Medical University of Vienna, Department for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  7. Natalie Zeller Medical University of Vienna
  8. Karin Waldherr Ferdinand Porsche FernFH - Distance Learning University of Applied Sciences
Form of presentation Poster
Topic
  • T01 - AI and digital health
Abstract Aims: High levels of mental health problems among children and adolescents call for the development and implementation of preventive interventions. Serious games may be particularly engaging for this age group. This study aims to systematically review the literature on serious games for promoting mental health literacy in children and adolescents to estimate their potential and inform the development of a new intervention.
Methods: We systematically searched for original studies, intervention development studies and study protocols describing the development, characteristics and evaluation of serious games promoting aspects of mental health literacy targeting children and adolescents between 10 and 14 years. We used the co.Lab framework to code design elements of serious games and the RE-AIM framework to code indicators for reach, efficacy/effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance.
Results: Thirty-six studies on 17 different serious games were included. Most serious games were targeted to a universal population of youth with learning objectives mainly focusing on how to obtain and maintain good mental health and on enhancing help-seeking efficacy. All serious games were single-player games but most were embedded in a wider pedagogical scenario. Diverse game mechanics and game elements were used to foster user engagement. Most serious games had an overarching storyline resembling real-world scenarios, fictional scenarios or a combination of both. Artificial intelligence components were embedded in one serious game only. Evaluation studies provide evidence for the short-term efficacy/effectiveness of serious games in improving aspects of mental health literacy and their feasibility; however, large-scale studies using rigorous study designs were scarce.
Conclusions: This systematic review informs the future development and implementation of serious games for children and adolescents. Intervention co-design, involvement of facilitators like teachers, the use of diverse game mechanics and customization fitting diverse users’ needs are examples which may promote intervention success. We will also briefly outline the concept and content of a new serious game for promoting mental health literacy in children and adolescents which is currently developed in Austria.