The Effect of a Health Game Prompt on Self-efficacy: Online Between-Subjects Experimental Survey.

Priscilla Haring

doi:10.2196/20209

Abstract

BackgroundGames for health are increasingly used as (part of) health interventions and more effect research into games for health is being done. This online experiment questions expectancies of games for health by investigating whether a game for health prompt might be considered arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal and as such positively effects self-efficacy before gameplay.ObjectiveThe aim of this study experiment is to test whether a game for health prompt effects self-efficacy and other well-being measurements, as a first step into investigating if a game prompt is a form of arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal.MethodsThis study used an online, 2D, between-subjects experimental survey design with self-efficacy as the main dependent variable. Stimulus is an assignment for health-related problem solving concerning living with diabetes type II, introduced as a game (n=125) versus the same assignment introduced as a task (n=107). Measurements after prompting the game/task assignment include self-efficacy, positive and negative affect, expected difficulty, flourishing, and self-esteem.ResultsThe results indicate a small negative effect from prompting the game assignment on self-efficacy, compared with prompting a task assignment. This effect is mediated by the expected difficulty of the health game/task. No differences between the game and task groups were found in affect, flourishing, or self-esteem.ConclusionsThis experiment provides no support for the notion that a game for health prompt might be seen as arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal.

Highlights

In “Get excited: Reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement” by Brooks [1], the concept of arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal is examined by offering someone in an anxious state a prompt that aims to change their negative affect but leaves their arousal high (Table 1)
While reading the work of Brooks, it seemed to me that prompting a game for health is a call to be excited amidst anxious content and I wondered if a game for health might be considered arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal? If so, this perspective could help to explain some of the attraction to games for health and their effects on self-efficacy
The research question investigates the idea that prompting a game to solve health-related problems might be a form of arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal, similar to the “get excited” prompt [1] and as such would result in increased self-efficacy

Summary

Introduction

In “Get excited: Reappraising pre-performance anxiety as excitement” by Brooks [1], the concept of arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal is examined by offering someone in an anxious state a prompt that aims to change their negative affect but leaves their arousal high (Table 1). She does this through prompting participants with “I am excited” and subsequently participants performed better on the task that made them anxious, and experienced a higher sense of self-efficacy. This online experiment questions expectancies of games for health by investigating whether a game for health prompt might be considered arousal congruent cognitive reappraisal and as such positively effects self-efficacy before gameplay

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion