Attrition from Web-Based Cognitive Testing: A Repeated Measures Comparison of Gamification Techniques.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Human-computer interaction
• Digital health

Background:

• Longitudinal cognitive assessments are valuable but face high participant attrition due to task burden.
• Gamification is proposed to enhance engagement and reduce dropout in repeated testing.
• Balancing task validity with gamified elements is crucial for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of gamified features on participant attrition in a longitudinal, web-based cognitive testing study.
• To compare dropout rates across different gamified versions of the Stop Signal Task (SST).

Main Methods:

• A between-subjects study utilized three variants of the Stop Signal Task (SST): points-based, graphically themed, and a standard control.
• Participants completed four mandatory sessions, followed by a voluntary testing period with daily dropout decisions.
• Compensation was provided for each completed session.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in dropout rates was observed between the gamified SST variants and the control group (χ²=3.0, P=.22).
• Analysis of variance also revealed no significant difference in the mean number of sessions completed across the task variants (F=1.534, P=.21).
• A total of 482 participants enrolled, with 265 completing the initial four sessions.

Conclusions:

• The study's findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of gamification in mitigating attrition for longitudinal cognitive testing.
• Further research may be needed to explore alternative strategies or refined gamification approaches.