Otero P, Cotardo T, Blanco V, Torres ÁJ, Simón MA, Bueno AM, Vázquez FL. A randomized controlled pilot study of a cognitive-behavioral video game intervention for the promotion of active aging.
Digit Health 2024;
10:20552076241233139. [PMID:
38384369 PMCID:
PMC10880542 DOI:
10.1177/20552076241233139]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background
Due to the accessibility barriers of in-person programs for active aging, the development of programs that use innovative technologies is needed. Video games can be an engaging tool for disseminating active aging interventions.
Objective
The objective of this pilot study was to analyze the feasibility of a cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote active aging administered through a video game.
Methods
Fifty-five participants (63.6% women, mean age = 53.0 years) were randomly assigned to a cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote active aging administered through an interactive multimedia online video game with a complementary app (CBI-V; n = 29) or to a control group that received nonspecific online information (CG; n = 26).
Results
Only 3.6% of the participants dropped out of the study (6.9% in CBI-V and 0.0% in CG; without significant differences between groups). The mean number of modules completed was 7.6 (SD = 0.9) out of 8 in the CBI-V and 7.9 (SD = 0.5) in the control group (CG), without significant between-group differences. In the CBI-V, the mean total time dedicated to the game was 516.8 min (SD = 94.3), including 143.2 min (SD = 31.6) of cognitive training tasks, and the mean of completed tasks was 206.2 (SD = 33.7) out of 259. Participants were highly engaged (M = 39.9, SD = 8.6) and satisfied (M = 25.8, SD = 4.5) with the intervention. After the intervention, the CBI-V group significantly improved on SF-36 dimensions of General Health (p = .0386), Vitality (p = .0283), Social Functioning (p = .0130), and Physical Summary Index (p = .0370) compared to the CG, with medium effect sizes (d = 0.56-0.75).
Conclusions
The results demonstrate the feasibility of the video game intervention to promote active aging and encourage conducting a large-scale randomized controlled trial.
Collapse