First Experiments with an Applied Gaming Intervention for reducing Loneliness of Children with Chronic Illness: Lessons Learned

We present the first experiments from a pilot study with Ruby's Mission, an applied gaming intervention for reducing feelings of loneliness in children with a chronic illness. Based on a previously performed literature study, Ruby's Mission sets out to train specific socioemotional skills, through four children sharing emotional experiences. The present study contributes insights in (1) how asymmetrical player roles in a multiplayer game affect in-game social interactions, and (2) if socioemotional skills affect the in-game social interactions in a multiplayer video game. Experiments were conducted during a public event for introducing children to science. A baseline measure of socioemotional skills was made using the emotional awareness questionnaire (EAQ). Video and audio recordings were made during gameplay, and were annotated afterwards on social interaction. As per expectations, results suggest that asymmetrical player roles encourage different levels of social interaction. Analysing the effect of socioemotional skills on an individual player's in-game social interactions, surprisingly revealed a slight negative effect, where social interactions decreased as socioemotional skills improved. Interestingly, when investigating this effect on per gameplay group level, no interaction was found. Results also reveal that external factors such as parent interference, play environment, and peer relations might have an effect on social interactions as well

A cross-sectional study on gaming intensity and social vulnerability in adolescents that have a chronic condition

BackgroundAdolescents growing up with a chronic condition might experience more social vulnerabilities compared to their healthy peers as an indirect result of their conditions. This can lead to a relatedness need frustration for these adolescents. Consequently, they might spend more time playing video games compared to their peers. Research shows that both social vulnerability and gaming intensity are predictors for problematic gaming. Therefore, we investigated if social vulnerability and gaming intensity are more pronounced in adolescents that have a chronic condition compared to the general population; and if these levels reflect the levels of a clinical group being treated for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD).MethodsData on peer problems and gaming intensity were compared from three separate samples: a national representative sample of adolescents, a clinical sample of adolescents that are undergoing treatment for IGD, and a sample of adolescents diagnosed with a chronic condition.ResultsNo differences were found on either peer problems or gaming intensity between the group of adolescents that have chronic conditions and the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions scored significantly lower on gaming intensity than the clinical group. No significant differences were found between these groups on peer problems. We repeated the analyses for boys only. Similar results were found for the group with chronic conditions compared to the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions now scored significantly lower on both peer problems and gaming intensity than the clinical group.ConclusionAdolescents growing up with a chronic condition appear similar in their gaming intensity and peer problems compared to their healthy peers

A cross-sectional study on gaming intensity and social vulnerability in adolescents that have a chronic condition

BACKGROUND: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition might experience more social vulnerabilities compared to their healthy peers as an indirect result of their conditions. This can lead to a relatedness need frustration for these adolescents. Consequently, they might spend more time playing video games compared to their peers. Research shows that both social vulnerability and gaming intensity are predictors for problematic gaming. Therefore, we investigated if social vulnerability and gaming intensity are more pronounced in adolescents that have a chronic condition compared to the general population; and if these levels reflect the levels of a clinical group being treated for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). METHODS: Data on peer problems and gaming intensity were compared from three separate samples: a national representative sample of adolescents, a clinical sample of adolescents that are undergoing treatment for IGD, and a sample of adolescents diagnosed with a chronic condition. RESULTS: No differences were found on either peer problems or gaming intensity between the group of adolescents that have chronic conditions and the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions scored significantly lower on gaming intensity than the clinical group. No significant differences were found between these groups on peer problems. We repeated the analyses for boys only. Similar results were found for the group with chronic conditions compared to the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions now scored significantly lower on both peer problems and gaming intensity than the clinical group. CONCLUSION: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition appear similar in their gaming intensity and peer problems compared to their healthy peers

A cross-sectional study on gaming intensity and social vulnerability in adolescents that have a chronic condition

BACKGROUND: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition might experience more social vulnerabilities compared to their healthy peers as an indirect result of their conditions. This can lead to a relatedness need frustration for these adolescents. Consequently, they might spend more time playing video games compared to their peers. Research shows that both social vulnerability and gaming intensity are predictors for problematic gaming. Therefore, we investigated if social vulnerability and gaming intensity are more pronounced in adolescents that have a chronic condition compared to the general population; and if these levels reflect the levels of a clinical group being treated for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). METHODS: Data on peer problems and gaming intensity were compared from three separate samples: a national representative sample of adolescents, a clinical sample of adolescents that are undergoing treatment for IGD, and a sample of adolescents diagnosed with a chronic condition. RESULTS: No differences were found on either peer problems or gaming intensity between the group of adolescents that have chronic conditions and the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions scored significantly lower on gaming intensity than the clinical group. No significant differences were found between these groups on peer problems. We repeated the analyses for boys only. Similar results were found for the group with chronic conditions compared to the national representative group. The group with chronic conditions now scored significantly lower on both peer problems and gaming intensity than the clinical group. CONCLUSION: Adolescents growing up with a chronic condition appear similar in their gaming intensity and peer problems compared to their healthy peers

First Experiments with an Applied Gaming Intervention for reducing Loneliness of Children with Chronic Illness: Lessons Learned

We present the first experiments from a pilot study with Ruby's Mission, an applied gaming intervention for reducing feelings of loneliness in children with a chronic illness. Based on a previously performed literature study, Ruby's Mission sets out to train specific socioemotional skills, through four children sharing emotional experiences. The present study contributes insights in (1) how asymmetrical player roles in a multiplayer game affect in-game social interactions, and (2) if socioemotional skills affect the in-game social interactions in a multiplayer video game. Experiments were conducted during a public event for introducing children to science. A baseline measure of socioemotional skills was made using the emotional awareness questionnaire (EAQ). Video and audio recordings were made during gameplay, and were annotated afterwards on social interaction. As per expectations, results suggest that asymmetrical player roles encourage different levels of social interaction. Analysing the effect of socioemotional skills on an individual player's in-game social interactions, surprisingly revealed a slight negative effect, where social interactions decreased as socioemotional skills improved. Interestingly, when investigating this effect on per gameplay group level, no interaction was found. Results also reveal that external factors such as parent interference, play environment, and peer relations might have an effect on social interactions as well

Ruby's Mission: Towards an Applied Gaming Intervention for reducing Loneliness of Children with Chronic Illness

Children with a chronic disease, such as cystic fibrosis or juvenile arthritis, often face obstacles that can have a negative impact on children's physical, social-emotional and cognitive development, beyond the actual illness itself. Children with chronic conditions are, on average, lonelier than their peers without such conditions. Feelings of loneliness in children and adolescents have been associated with a wide range of negative outcomes, including school drop-out, depressive symptoms, social anxiety, suicide ideation, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and sleep problems. As such, the present investigation sets out to reduce these feelings of loneliness for children with chronic conditions, and aims to do so by the structured design of an applied gaming intervention. Specifically, the present paper contributes (1) a literature-based understanding on training socioemotional skills as a novel means to reduce feelings of loneliness in chronically ill children, (2) intervention objectives that are aligned to this goal, and (3) a structured proposal for design guidelines that implement the intervention objectives into gRuby's Mission'; an applied gaming intervention for reducing loneliness of children with chronic illness

Ruby's Mission: Towards an Applied Gaming Intervention for reducing Loneliness of Children with Chronic Illness

Children with a chronic disease, such as cystic fibrosis or juvenile arthritis, often face obstacles that can have a negative impact on children's physical, social-emotional and cognitive development, beyond the actual illness itself. Children with chronic conditions are, on average, lonelier than their peers without such conditions. Feelings of loneliness in children and adolescents have been associated with a wide range of negative outcomes, including school drop-out, depressive symptoms, social anxiety, suicide ideation, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and sleep problems. As such, the present investigation sets out to reduce these feelings of loneliness for children with chronic conditions, and aims to do so by the structured design of an applied gaming intervention. Specifically, the present paper contributes (1) a literature-based understanding on training socioemotional skills as a novel means to reduce feelings of loneliness in chronically ill children, (2) intervention objectives that are aligned to this goal, and (3) a structured proposal for design guidelines that implement the intervention objectives into gRuby's Mission'; an applied gaming intervention for reducing loneliness of children with chronic illness