Effect of Board Games with Mobile Applications on Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A...

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) presents growing challenges for older adults, particularly in Thailand. This study aimed to examine the effects of board games with mobile applications on cognition in older adults with MCI.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Suphan Buri Province, Thailand (August-October 2024). Forty-four participants were allocated to the intervention group (N=22) or the control group (N=22). The intervention group received MCI education and participated in a hybrid cognitive-training program consisting of four face-to-face board-game sessions and four home-practice modules delivered via a game-based mobile application. The control group received MCI education and access to the mobile application but did not participate in any face-to-face sessions. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks post-intervention using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Cognitive Impairment Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire, and Cognitive Failures Questionnaire-Thai version (CFQ-Thai). Data were analyzed using Jamovi software version 2.3.28. Descriptive statistics, Shapiro-Wilk tests, chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and paired t-tests were used. The significance level of P<0.05 was considered.

Eight weeks after the intervention, the experimental group, in comparison to the control group, demonstrated significantly higher MoCA scores (23.73±4.54 vs. 20.05±1.36, P<0.001) and MCI knowledge scores (13.55±1.34 vs. 11.55±1.01, P<0.001), with significantly lower CFQ-Thai scores (23.14±8.69 vs. 43.86±7.61, P<0.001).

Board Games with a mobile-app cognitive-training program could improve cognitive function among older adults with MCI. Healthcare professionals can implement this accessible intervention to address the growing challenge of cognitive decline in aging populations, particularly in resource-limited and rural settings.