Guided Feedback in an Online Game Impacts Decision Making

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of a text-based game as a way to understand decision making and knowledge related to anxiety, stress, and mood states like depression or loneliness. The investigators are interested in identifying whether participants who are given feedback before and during the game will report changes in behavior or depressive symptoms over the course of a one-week period. This is a follow-up to the published study from the researchers.

Official Title
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Understanding Decision Making Using a Text-based Game

Conditions
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Depressive Symptoms

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Video
* Behavioral: Active game
* Behavioral: Neutral game


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18+ age Eligible to participate in online research Able to read and respond in English Exclusion Criteria: None

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Quadruple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Video<br>Short video with BA intervention ideas | Behavioral: Video<br>* Video uses BA techniques for approximately 5 minutes<br>|
| Experimental: Active game<br>Feedback Twine game | Behavioral: Active game<br>* Game provides positive feedback in response to decisions made by participants<br>|
| Sham Comparator: Neutral game<br>Neutral Twine game | Behavioral: Neutral game<br>* Game without feedback<br>|
| No Intervention: No intervention<br> | |
| Experimental: Video + Active game<br>Combines Video and Active game | Behavioral: Video<br>* Video uses BA techniques for approximately 5 minutes<br>Behavioral: Active game<br>* Game provides positive feedback in response to decisions made by participants<br>|
| Active Comparator: Video + Neutral game<br>Combines Video and Neutral game | Behavioral: Video<br>* Video uses BA techniques for approximately 5 minutes<br>Behavioral: Neutral game<br>* Game without feedback<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| patient health questionnaire (PHQ; 8 items) | The PHQ measures depression; scores range from 0 to 24 with higher scores indicating more depression. | baseline (T0) - before intervention | 
| patient health questionnaire (PHQ; 8 items) | The PHQ measures depression; scores range from 0 to 24 with higher scores indicating more depression. | one week following intervention (T1) | 
| Behavior in study-specific game | For participants completing the game (neutral or active), behavior and choices made will be used as data for analyses. Game choices allow participants to decide what next activities they will do in the game. Analyses incorporate decision probabilities (which of 2-5 choices are selected) and compare them between conditions. The game is completed at baseline following assessment (and following video) for those assigned this arm only. | Completed at baseline (T0) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) | 7-item measure of generalized anxiety; scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating more anxiety. | Baseline (T0) before intervention | 
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) | 7-item measure of generalized anxiety; scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating more anxiety. | one-week follow-up (T1) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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depressive symptoms