Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Dec 2, 2020
Date Accepted: May 8, 2021
An Interactive Computer Game to Improve Selective Voluntary Motor Control in Children with Upper Motor Neuron Lesions: Prerequisites, Development and Preliminary Feasibility
ABSTRACT
Background:
Computer game-based interventions are emerging in pediatric neurorehabilitation, as they can provide two key elements for motor learning: motivating environments to enable long-term compliance, particularly relevant for children, and augmented feedback to improve movement performance.
Objective:
The overall aim was to develop an interactive computer play for children with upper motor neuron lesions to train selective voluntary motor control and give particular attention to motivation and feedback. In this study, we determined features that make games engaging, investigated which sensory feedback modality was noticed the fastest while playing, developed an interactive game, and evaluated its feasibility.
Methods:
Engaging game features were identified by interviewing 19 children and adolescents undergoing rehabilitation. With a test version of the game, we determined the response time of 10 patients who had to react to visual, auditory, or combined feedback signals. Based on the results from these two subprojects, we developed and designed the game environment. Feasibility was studied in terms of practicability and acceptability of the intervention in 5 children with upper motor neuron lesions.
Results:
The game features deemed most important by pediatric patients were strategic gameplay (45% of answers) and choice (21%). While playing the game, an acoustic alarm signal (median reaction time: 2.8s) was detected significantly faster (P = .01) compared to conditions with other feedback modalities (avatar velocity reduction 7.8s, color desaturation 5.7s). Most children enjoyed playing the game despite some technical issues occurring.
Conclusions:
Carefully identifying game features that increase motivation and feedback modalities that inform children quickly led to the development of an interactive computer play to train selective voluntary motor control in children and adolescents with upper motor neuron lesions. Clinical Trial: NA
Citation
Per the author's request the PDF is not available.
Copyright
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