Video games are a popular form of entertainment. Serious video games for health attempt to use entertainment to promote health behavior change. When designed within a framework informed by behavioral science and supported by commercial game-design principles, serious video games for health have the potential to be an effective method for promoting self-management behaviors among youth with diabetes. This article presents a conceptual model of how this may be achieved. It concludes by identifying research needed to refine our knowledge regarding how to develop effective serious video games for health.
OnkamoPVäänänenSKarvonenMTuomilehtoJ. Worldwide increase in incidence of type I diabetes–the analysis of the data on published incidence trends. Diabetologia.1999;42 (12): 1395–403.
2.
Fagot-CampagnaAPettittDJEngelgauMMBurrowsNRGeissLSValdezRBecklesGLSaaddineJGreggEWWilliamsonDFNarayanKM. Type 2 diabetes among North American children and adolescents: An epidemiologic review and a public health perspective. J Pediatr.2000;136 (5): 664–72.
3.
KarvonenMViik-KajanderMMoltchanovaELibmanILaPorteRTuomilehtoJ. Incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes worldwide. Diabetes Mondiale (DiaMond) Project Group. Diabetes Care.2000;23 (10): 1516–26.
4.
Fagot-Campagna A, Saaddine JB, Flegal KM, Beckles GL, Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, and elevated HbA1c in U.S. adolescents: The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Diabetes Care.2001;24 (5): 834–7.
5.
American Association of Diabetes Educators. Individualization of diabetes self-management education. Diabetes Educ.2002;28 (5): 741–5.
6.
Silverstein J, Klingensmith G, Copeland K, Plotnick L, Kaufman F, Laffel L, Deeb L, Grey M, Anderson B, Holzmeister LA, Clark N, American Diabetes Association. Care of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care.2005;28 (1): 186–212.
7.
RobertsDFFoehrUGRideoutV. Generation M: Media in the lives of 8–18 year-olds: A Kaiser Family Foundation study. Menlo Park: Kaiser Family Foundation; 2005.
8.
LenhartAKahneJMiddaughEMacgillAREvansCVitakJ. Teens, video games, and civics. Washington DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project; 2008.
9.
Entertainment Software Association. Essential facts about the computer and video game industry: 2008 sales, demographic and usage data. Washington DC: Entertainment Software Association; 2008.
10.
KatoPMColeSWBradlynASPollockBH. A video game improves behavioral outcomes in adolescents and young adults with cancer: A randomized trial. Pediatrics.2008;122 (2): e305–17.
11.
LiebermanDA. Management of chronic pediatric diseases with interactive health games: Theory and research findings. J Ambul Care Manage.2001;24 (1): 26–38.
12.
SquireK. From content to context: Videogames as designed experience. Educational Researcher.2006;35 (8): 19–29.
AndersonJRRederLMSimonHA. Situated learning and education. Educational Researcher.1996;25 (4): 5–11.
15.
ShafferDWSquireKRHalversonRGeeJP. Video games and the future of learning. Madison: University of Wisconsin-Madison and Academic Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Laboratory; 2004.
16.
GriffithsM. The educational benefits of video games. Education Health.2002;20 (3): 47–51.
17.
GeeJP. Learning by design: Games as learning machines. Interactive Educational Multimedia.2004;8: 15–23.
18.
BaranowskiTBudayRThompsonDIBaranowskiJ. Playing for real: Video games and stories for health-related behavior change. Am J Prev Med.2008;34 (1): 74–82.
19.
DickeyMD. Engaging by design: How engagement strategies in popular computer and video games can inform instructional design. Educ Technol Res Develop.2005;53 (2): 67–83.
20.
GreenMCBrockTC. The role of transportation in the persuasiveness of public narratives. J Pers Soc Psychol.2000;79 (5): 701–21.
21.
BaranowskiTLinLSWetterDWResnicowKHearnMD. Theory as mediating variables: Why aren't community interventions working as desired?Ann Epidemiol.1997;S7: S89–S95.
22.
BaranowskiTAndersonCCarmackC. Mediating variable framework in physical activity interventions. How are we doing? How might we do better? Am J Prev Med.1998;15 (4): 266–97.
23.
BanduraA. Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall; 1986.
24.
RyanRMDeciEL. Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well being. Am Psychol.2000;55 (1): 68–78.
25.
ThompsonDBaranowskiTBudayRBaranowskiJThompsonVJagoRGriffithMJ. Serious video games for health: How behavioral science guided the design of a game on diabetes and obesity. Simulation Gaming.2008. doi:10.1177/1046878108328087.
26.
SternbergRJ. Intelligence, competence, and expertise. In: ElliotAJDweckCS, eds. Handbook of competence and motivation. New York: Guilford Press; 2005.
27.
SchunkDH. Self-regulation through goal setting; ERIC/CASS Digest: ED462671. Washington DC: ERIC/CASS; 2001.
28.
BanduraACervoneD. Self-evaluative and self-efficacy mechanisms governing the motivational effects of goal systems. J Personality Social Psychology.1983;45 (5): 1017–28.
29.
JanzNKBeckerMH. The health belief model: A decade later. Health Educ Q.1984;11 (1): 1–47.
30.
FrauenknechtMBlackDR. The Social Problem Solving Inventory for Adolescents (SPSI-A): A manual for application, interpretation, and psychometric evaluation. Morgantown: PNG Publications; 2003.
31.
SchunkDH. Vicarious influences on self-efficacy for cognitive skill learning. J Soc Clin Psychol.1986;4 (3): 316–27.
PettyRECacioppoJT. Communication and persuasion: Central and peripheral routes to attitude change. New York: Springer-Verlag; 1986.
34.
ThompsonVThompsonDBaranowskiT. Understanding “serious videogame” storyline and genre preferences related to game immersion among low-income ethnically diverse urban and rural adolescents. In: EvansCM. Internet issues: Blogging, the digital divide, and digital libraries. Hauppauge: Nova Science Publishers, Inc; 2010.
35.
ThompsonDBaranowskiTBudayRBaranowskiJJulianoMFraziorMWilsdonJJagoR. In pursuit of change: Youth response to intensive goal setting embedded in a serious video game. J Diabetes Sci Technol.2007;1 (6): 907–17.
36.
SchunkDHGunnTP. Modeled importance of task strategies and achievement beliefs: Effect on self-efficacy and skill development. J Early Adolescence.1985;5 (2): 247–58.
37.
AndersonBJBrackettJHoJLaffelLM. An office-based intervention to maintain parent-adolescent teamwork in diabetes management. Impact on parent involvement, family conflict, and subsequent glycemic control. Diabetes Care.1999;22 (5): 713–21.
