Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty
Published on: October 6, 2016
A Video Game Intervention to Prevent Opioid Misuse Among Older Adolescents: Development and Preimplementation Study.
Kammarauche Aneni1,2, Claudia-Santi F Fernandes1,2, Lily A Hoerner3
1Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
This study developed PlaySmart, a video game intervention to prevent opioid misuse and improve adolescent mental health. Formative evaluation ensured the game addresses key risks and prepares for school-based implementation.
Area of Science:
- Digital health interventions
- Adolescent mental health
- Substance misuse prevention
Background:
- Opioid misuse and mental health disorders frequently co-occur in adolescents, necessitating scalable interventions.
- Serious video games present an engaging platform for delivering preventive health education.
- Existing video game interventions for adolescents lack focus on opioid misuse and comprehensive mental health support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and conduct a formative evaluation of PlaySmart, a video game intervention targeting opioid misuse prevention and mental health promotion in adolescents aged 16-19.
- To gather formative data for a future randomized controlled trial of the PlaySmart intervention.
Main Methods:
- A 3-phase approach (development, playtesting, preimplementation) involving interviews and focus groups with adolescents, healthcare providers, and addiction specialists.
- Theoretical frameworks including the Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behavior, and Social Cognitive Theory informed content development.
- User-centered design and thematic analysis guided iterative refinement of game content and implementation strategies.
Main Results:
- A novel video game, PlaySmart, was developed to address risk and protective factors for adolescent opioid misuse and mental health.
- Nine themes from qualitative data informed game content, with playtesting leading to game improvements.
- Preimplementation discussions identified facilitators and barriers to integrating PlaySmart into school settings.
Conclusions:
- PlaySmart demonstrates potential as a scalable digital intervention for addressing the concurrent adolescent opioid and mental health crises.
- Further research and implementation in school settings are warranted to validate its effectiveness.
More Related Videos
13:40Combining Computer Game-Based Behavioural Experiments With High-Density EEG and Infrared Gaze Tracking
Published on: December 16, 2010
09:29Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods
Published on: August 4, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Operant Conditioning Intervention
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids