A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Cognitive Behavioral Videogame Intervention: empowerED

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Educational Technology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Youth mental health is a growing concern, necessitating innovative interventions.
• Cognitive reappraisal, an emotion regulation strategy, can alter perceptions and improve well-being.
• School climate significantly influences adolescent development and mental health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a cognitive behavioral videogame intervention called empowerED.
• To assess the intervention's preliminary effect on youth's self-perceptions, future outlook, and abilities.
• To incorporate and enhance cognitive reappraisal skills through the videogame.

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 100 adolescents aged 14-19.
• Participants were assigned to either the empowerED videogame intervention or a control condition.
• Evaluated cognitive reappraisal, beliefs/attitudes, self-efficacy, emotional self-efficacy, user experience, and feasibility.

Main Results:

• The empowerED group showed significant improvements in cognitive reappraisal compared to the control group (P=0.01).
• While no significant group differences were found for broader self-efficacy measures, the empowerED group reported pre-post improvements in beliefs/attitudes (P=0.01).
• The intervention was rated as easy to use, beneficial, and feasible for delivery in a high school setting.

Conclusions:

• The empowerED videogame intervention shows preliminary efficacy in enhancing cognitive reappraisal skills among youth.
• The intervention is user-friendly, beneficial, and feasible for implementation in schools.
• empowerED offers a potential innovative, student-level approach to support youth mental health and foster positive school climate changes.