Title: Graded exposure therapy through a standalone digital therapeutic game for children aged 7-12 years with anxiety disorders.
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Aims: We want to find out how well Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage works for young people. Lumi Nova is a new game-based therapy, seeking to reduce anxiety symptoms, such as feelings of worry, fear and unease, in 7&ndash;12-years old. This study aims to find out if Lumi Nova helps to reduce anxiety, and to get children, families and healthcare professional's views on the game and similar digital therapies. Background: There are around 500,000 children aged 7-12 years living with anxiety in the UK, but in 2019, only 10,000 of these young people were able to access care. Part of the reason for this gap is a lack of trained experts and long waiting lists for NHS therapy. Children from poorer and ethnic minority backgrounds are also less likely to access care for their anxiety than other children. The NHS is committed to improving access to anxiety care for young people, and sees digital therapy interventions as key to this. Lumi Nova is a digital therapy game which is specially designed to help children and young people with anxiety. It asks young people to play challenges throughout the game, where the young person tried out situations they find difficult and then rates how worried and anxious they feel. Design: We will examine how well Lumi Nova works in 4 different ways. 1) We will look at data routinely collected from young people who are using Lumi Nova now to find out how well it works for them to help anxiety. 2) We will explore who is using it and if different groups of young people find it helpful or not. This will include those living in deprived and ethnic minority groups. We will ask these young people how well Lumi Nova and digital therapy meets their care needs. 3) We will ask healthcare professionals involved in young people s care what they think about Lumi Nova and digital therapy. 4) We will ask national experts what they feel is important about digital therapy care for children and young people s mental health. Involvement of Young People: Children, young people and their parents have been involved in the design and testing of Lumi Nova. Within this study, we will involve ten young people and their families in leading the project through an Advisory Group. We will work with people from this group to help run the different aspects of the study, including working with poorer and ethnic minority communities and making sense of data together. Dissemination: What we find out about Lumi Nova and digital interventions for young people s anxiety will be shared with participants, families and professionals through videos, podcasts, conferences and written materials which will be designed with young people themselves.

Lay abstract: Aims: We want to find out how well Lumi Nova: Tales of Courage works for young people. Lumi Nova is a new game-based therapy, seeking to reduce anxiety symptoms, such as feelings of worry, fear and unease, in 7&ndash;12-years old. This study aims to find out if Lumi Nova helps to reduce anxiety, and to get children, families and healthcare professional's views on the game and similar digital therapies. Background: There are around 500,000 children aged 7-12 years living with anxiety in the UK, but in 2019, only 10,000 of these young people were able to access care. Part of the reason for this gap is a lack of trained experts and long waiting lists for NHS therapy. Children from poorer and ethnic minority backgrounds are also less likely to access care for their anxiety than other children. The NHS is committed to improving access to anxiety care for young people, and sees digital therapy interventions as key to this. Lumi Nova is a digital therapy game which is specially designed to help children and young people with anxiety. It asks young people to play challenges throughout the game, where the young person tried out situations they find difficult and then rates how worried and anxious they feel. Design: We will examine how well Lumi Nova works in 4 different ways. 1) We will look at data routinely collected from young people who are using Lumi Nova now to find out how well it works for them to help anxiety. 2) We will explore who is using it and if different groups of young people find it helpful or not. This will include those living in deprived and ethnic minority groups. We will ask these young people how well Lumi Nova and digital therapy meets their care needs. 3) We will ask healthcare professionals involved in young people s care what they think about Lumi Nova and digital therapy. 4) We will ask national experts what they feel is important about digital therapy care for children and young people s mental health. Involvement of Young People: Children, young people and their parents have been involved in the design and testing of Lumi Nova. Within this study, we will involve ten young people and their families in leading the project through an Advisory Group. We will work with people from this group to help run the different aspects of the study, including working with poorer and ethnic minority communities and making sense of data together. Dissemination: What we find out about Lumi Nova and digital interventions for young people s anxiety will be shared with participants, families and professionals through videos, podcasts, conferences and written materials which will be designed with young people themselves.

Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH