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ACTing Minds: An ACT-based Videogame for Mental Health

NCT07272096 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 302

Last updated 2026-02-12

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether a single-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) videogame (ACTing Minds) improves psychological flexibility and mental health in adults who report mild to moderate depression, anxiety or stress. The main questions are whether ACTing Minds increases psychological flexibility (CompACT Total) more than a time- and engagement-matched neutral commercial game at the end of the session and again at short-term follow-up (10-13 days), and whether it produces favourable changes in symptoms, wellbeing, social connectedness, health-related quality of life, and short seated heart-rate variability recordings. Researchers will compare ACTing Minds with the neutral game to determine whether the ACT-based experience leads to greater improvements. Participants attend one laboratory visit of about 60 minutes, complete brief questionnaires at baseline, immediately after the session and at short-term follow-up, and provide a short seated ECG at each timepoint for heart-rate variability analysis. The study uses a single-blind, two-arm, randomised, parallel-group design at Swansea University (UK).

Conditions

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Stress (Psychology)
  • Psychological Flexibility
  • Quality of Life
  • Social Connectedness
  • Wellbeing

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

ACTing Minds (ACT videogame)

Single-session (\~60 min) ACT-based videogame integrating acceptance/openness, cognitive defusion, present-moment awareness, values and values-guided action via structured chapters. Delivered on a study-supplied Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Android) under standardised instructions; no therapist guidance during play.

BEHAVIORAL

Monument Valley (mobile; neutral control)

Commercial mobile puzzle game used as an engagement- and time-matched control (\~60 min) with no therapeutic content. Delivered on a study-supplied Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Android) in the lab. Title/version fixed for the trial; procedures and environment identical to the experimental arm. No data are collected within the app.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Swansea University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Darren J Edwards, PhD · Swansea University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-11-26
Primary Completion
2025-12-09
Completion
2025-12-09

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07272096 on ClinicalTrials.gov