Gaming Applied to the Promotion of Active Aging

Summary

Active aging programs have been recommended by the World Health Organization to help deal with the progressive aging of the population. However, older adults have difficulties in accessing these programs. Online video game-based interventions would improve their accessibility, while complementing these interventions with a mobile application (App) would increase adherence and professional monitoring. The main objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of an interactive, online, video game-based cognitive behavioral intervention with an App companion for active aging compared to a control group receiving therapeutically inactive information. The secondary objectives are to: (a) analyze the moderators of the change in the outcome variables and (b) evaluate adherence to the intervention.

A randomized controlled trial will be performed including healthy adults older than 44. Recruitment of 180 participants is planned, with random allocation to one of the two conditions (90 participants per group): (a) an experimental group receiving an interactive, online, multimedia, video game-based cognitive behavioral intervention with an App companion (CCI-V) or (b) a control group receiving online therapeutically inactive information about active aging (CG).

The intervention will be administered in 8 weekly modules comprised of 45-minute sessions. A blind evaluation will be conducted through online self-administered tests at baseline, post-intervention, and 6- and 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome will be the health status. Secondary outcomes will be emotional well-being, symptoms of depression, reinforcement, negative thoughts, self-reported memory, cognitive tasks, sleep hygiene, physical activity, eating habits, body mass index (BMI), social support, dropouts, treatment adherence, and satisfaction with the intervention.

Conditions

• Aging
• Aging Problems

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Video game-based intervention

The intervention will be administered via an online graphic-adventure video game. It includes 3 components: depression prevention, cognitive stimulation, and healthy habits promotion. The depression prevention component will be adapted from an indicated depression prevention program based on the model by Lewinsohn, Hoberman, Teri, \& Hautzinger, which is effective in short and long terms. The cognitive stimulation component is based on cognitive reserve and cerebral neuroplasticity. The healthy habits promotion component is based on the social learning and social cognitive theories. The App will allow participants to expand information, check progression, and receive reminders about homework

OTHER

Control group

The active control group will have access to a platform of online therapeutically inactive information related to active aging.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• European Regional Development Fund

  collaborator OTHER

• Center for Industrial Technological Development of Spain

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• University of Santiago de Compostela

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Fernando L. Vázquez González, PhD · University of Santiago de Compostela

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-11-01

Primary Completion

2019-03-31

Completion

2019-12-31

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations