Applying Gamification Principles and Therapeutic Movement Sequences to Design an Interactive Physical Activity Game:...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Game Design
• Mental Health Interventions

Background:

• Depression prevalence increased with COVID-19 lockdowns, correlating with reduced physical activity.
• Decreased physical activity exacerbates depressive symptoms, highlighting a need for accessible interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the development of an interactive physical activity game for depression using gamification.
• To base game content on clinical depression diagnostic criteria and adapt it to user needs.

Main Methods:

• Discussed related work and game design framework.
• Detailed user depression severity assessment and content customization.
• Explained gradual game progression aligned with exercise principles and user flow optimization.

Main Results:

• Developed exergames with instructions, focusing on flow, audio, and visual feedback.
• Exergames improve reaction time, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.
• Game difficulty dynamically adjusts based on user performance, reaction time, movement speed, and range of motion, incorporating cognitive elements like memory.

Conclusions:

• Mental health is intrinsically linked to physical behavior and movement.
• Future interactive exergames can effectively induce user flow and improve physical fitness factors associated with depression.