JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Engagement in activities that promote the dissipation of work stress are essential for post-work recovery and consequently wellbeing. Previous work suggests that activities that are immersive, active and engaging are especially effective at promoting recovery. Digital games may therefore be able to promote recovery, but little is known about how they compare to other popular mobile activities, such as mindfulness apps which are specifically designed to support wellbeing.

Objective:

This research aimed to investigate and compare the effectiveness of a digital game and a mindfulness app in promoting post-work recovery, first in a lab setting and then in a field study.

Methods:

Study 1 was a lab experiment (n=45) in which participants’ need for recovery was induced by a work task, before undertaking one of three interventions: a digital game (Block! Hexa Puzzle), a mindfulness app (Headspace) or a non-media control with a fidget spinner (a physical toy). Recovery in the form of how energized participants felt (energetic arousal) was compared before and after the intervention, and how recovered participants felt (recovery experience) was compared across the conditions. Study 2 was a field study with working professionals (n=20), for which participants either played the digital game or used the mindfulness app once arriving home from work over a period of five working days. Measures of energetic arousal were taken before and after the intervention, and recovery experience was measured after the intervention, along with measures of enjoyment and job strain.

Results:

A 3x2 mixed ANOVA identified that, in study 1, the digital game condition increased energetic arousal (indicative of improved recovery) whereas the other two conditions decreased energetic arousal (F2,42=3.76, p<.05). However, there were no differences between the conditions in Recovery Experience (F2,42=.01, P=.99). In Study 2, multi-level model comparisons identified that neither intervention nor day of the week had a significant main effect on how energized participants felt. However, for those in the digital game condition, daily recovery experience increased during the course of the study, whereas for those in the mindfulness condition it decreased (F1,20=2.1489, p<0.01). Follow up interviews with participants identified three core themes: Detachment and Restoration, Fluctuations and Differences, and finally, Routine and Scheduling.

Conclusions:

This work suggests that digital games may be effective in promoting post-work recovery in lab contexts (Study 1) and in the real world, although the effect in this case may be cumulative rather than instant (Study 2). Clinical Trial: N/A