Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Mar 8, 2019
Date Accepted: Jul 7, 2019
Effects of Social Interaction Mechanics in Pervasive Games on Physical Activity Levels of Elderly People: Case Control Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The novel genre of pervasive games can be a powerful strategy to create fun and engaging experience to elderly people, promoting active lifestyles and increasing their quality of life. A better understanding of how different design elements of such games affect player behavior is necessary to effectively use them to help senior citizens.
Objective:
We investigate pervasive games from a design perspective, testing specifically how social interaction as a design element affects player behavior.
Methods:
We performed a 4-week case control study testing two variations of the same pervasive game – social interaction (SI) for the test group and no social interaction (NSI) for the control group – and compared the levels of physical activity, measured by the average number of weekly steps, between groups.
Results:
A total of 32 participants was recruited (SI: N=17, NSI: N=15), and 18 remained until the end of the study (SI: N=11, NSI: N=7). The number of steps during the first week was used as baseline, and a greater increase¬ was observed in the test group when compared to the control during the following 3 weeks – SI: +21.7% (σ=17.9%), +16.5% (σ =14.6%) and +17.9% (σ=15.7%); NSI: +1.1% (σ=11.3%), +2.1% (σ=12.1%) and -2.1% (σ=21.6%). Analysis of effect taking group as factor resulted in P = .009.
Conclusions:
The results suggest that social interaction as a design element of pervasive has a positive effect on player behavior to promote physical activity. Clinical Trial: Japan Medical Association Clinical Trial Registration Number: JMA-IIA00314; https://dbcentre3.jmacct.med.or.jp/JMACTR/App/JMACTRS06/JMACTRS06.aspx?seqno=7274 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/761a6MVAy).