Efficacy of the REThink Therapeutic Online Game
Condition: Resilience, Psychological
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study aims to test the efficacy of the REThink therapeutic online video game. Children
      and adolescents (N = 150), aged between 10-16 years, will be randomly assigned to one of
      three groups: 1) REThink group, 2) Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Education (REBE) group and 3)
      wait-list condition.
    

Detailed description: 
      Background:The prevalence of emotional disorders in children and adolescents is constantly
      growing and leads to long-term negative consequences for later functioning. An efficient way
      to approach emotional disorders in youths is to provide adequate services to them prior to
      the onset of symptoms. A new strategy for implementing prevention programs in youths is the
      use of therapeutic games. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of the REThink
      therapeutic online game,in helping children and adolescents, aged between 10-16 years, to
      develop psychological resilience.

      Methods: To test the effectiveness of the REThink therapeutic online game, 150 children and
      adolescents aged between 10-16 years will be included in the study. Participants will be
      randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) the online therapeutic game intervention
      (REThink group), 2) the control condition Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Education (REBE) group
      and 3) the wait-list condition. Participants in the REThink group will play the seven levels
      of the game, structured into seven modules. In the REBE group, participants will follow seven
      REBE lessons, structured based on the strategies practiced in each of the REThink level.
      Assessment of participants will be made before, at the middle, at the end of the
      intervention, and at 6 months after the intervention.

      Results: It is expected that participants in the REThink group will provide significantly
      better results regarding primary outcomes, namely psychological adjustment and the intensity
      of emotions. Significant improvements are expected at post-test and follow up for the REThink
      group regarding secondary outcomes, emotion regulation skills, temperamental variables,
      anxiety in a stressful situation, problem solving skills, relaxation skills,and alpha
      asymmetry index, compared to wait-list condition, and similarly to the REBE group. Also, it
      is expected that REThink efficacy will be related to changes in irrational beliefs, and
      negative and positive automatic thoughts. In addition, it is expected that the REThink game
      will register high satisfaction with the intervention.

      Conclusions: This is randomized controlled trial which aims to analyze the effectiveness of a
      new therapeutic game developed for children and adolescents will provide important
      information regarding this promising tool.
    

Intervention name(s): REThink therapeutic online game; REBE group
Intervention type(s): Device; Other
Intervention description(s): The REThink therapeutic online game has seven levels. Each level has various degrees of complexity, which increase as the player progresses in the game. The scenario of the game was developed based on the REBT model, such that it focuses on: a. identifying the emotional and behavioral reactions; b. identifying cognitive processes; c. identifying the relation between cognitive processes and emotions and behavioral reactions; d. changing irrational cognitions into rational cognitions; e. building problem solving skills; f. building relaxation skills and g. building happiness skills.; In the Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Education (REBE) group participants will follow 7 modules, structured based on the strategies practiced in each of the REThink level.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) REThink group, 2) Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Education (REBE) group and 3) wait-list condition.
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: therapeutic online game; resilience; prevention; emotional disorders; child; adolescent