Development and Initial Evaluation of a Mobile Videogame for Anxious Adolescents

What is it about?

This chapter presents two research studies conducted during the development of a mobile videogame for anxious adolescents. Firstly, existing games claiming to be anxiety reducing or educational were assessed by adolescents with anxiety and user-feedback was collected. Once a new prototype game was developed, this was then evaluated by anxious adolescents to make further improvements. The development process and initial findings are reported in this chapter.

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Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash

Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Videogames have shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and encouraging anxious adolescents to engage in scientifically validated treatments for anxiety conditions. This research represents the initial work in creating a mobile game with capabilities for remote data collection and symptom monitoring. With further evaluation forthcoming, it is hoped the game will not only help with reducing anxiety in adolescents, but also provide a motivating tool to encourage ongoing engagement with therapeutic processes, and provide symptom data valuable to clinicians.