Smartphone Game Research Articles

Hold Relax outperforms Friction in treating De Quervain Syndrome

This study compared the efficacy of Friction and Hold Relax exercises in alleviating De Quervain syndrome symptoms among smartphone game players. Utilizing a quasi-experimental pre and post-test design with 14 participants in each group, the research found that Hold Relax exercises significantly improved thumb function compared to Friction (p = 0.002). These results highlight the importance of tailored therapeutic interventions for De Quervain syndrome patients, particularly among smartphone game players, and provide valuable insights for optimizing treatment strategies in this population. Highlight: Superiority of Hold Relax: Effective for De Quervain syndrome among smartphone users. Tailored Therapy: Recognizes specific needs of smartphone game players. Clinical Insights: Optimizing treatment strategies for De Quervain syndrome rehabilitation. Keyword: De Quervain syndrome, smartphone game players, therapeutic exercises, Hold Relax, Friction

Analysis of the longitudinal effects of parents’ negative parenting attitude and adolescents’ social intelligence on problematic smartphone game use

Analysis of the longitudinal effects of parents’ negative parenting attitude and adolescents’ social intelligence on problematic smartphone game use

Effects of a Serious Smartphone Game on Nursing Students' Theoretical Knowledge and Practical Skills in Adult Basic Life Support: Randomized Wait List-Controlled Trial.

Retention of adult basic life support (BLS) knowledge and skills after professional training declines over time. To combat this, the European Resuscitation Council and the American Heart Association recommend shorter, more frequent BLS sessions. Emphasizing technology-enhanced learning, such as mobile learning, aims to increase out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival and is becoming more integral in nursing education. The aim of this study was to investigate whether playing a serious smartphone game called MOBICPR at home can improve and retain nursing students' theoretical knowledge of and practical skills in adult BLS. This study used a randomized wait list-controlled design. Nursing students were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a MOBICPR intervention group (MOBICPR-IG) or a wait-list control group (WL-CG), where the latter received the MOBICPR game 2 weeks after the MOBICPR-IG. The aim of the MOBICPR game is to engage participants in using smartphone gestures (eg, tapping) and actions (eg, talking) to perform evidence-based adult BLS on a virtual patient with OHCA. The participants' theoretical knowledge of adult BLS was assessed using a questionnaire, while their practical skills were evaluated on cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality parameters using a manikin and a checklist. In total, 43 nursing students participated in the study, 22 (51%) in MOBICPR-IG and 21 (49%) in WL-CG. There were differences between the MOBICPR-IG and the WL-CG in theoretical knowledge (P=.04) but not in practical skills (P=.45) after MOBICPR game playing at home. No difference was noted in the retention of participants' theoretical knowledge and practical skills of adult BLS after a 2-week break from playing the MOBICPR game (P=.13). Key observations included challenges in response checks with a face-down manikin and a general neglect of safety protocols when using an automated external defibrillator. Playing the MOBICPR game at home has the greatest impact on improving the theoretical knowledge of adult BLS in nursing students but not their practical skills. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating diverse scenarios into adult BLS training. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05784675); https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05784675.

Risk of using smartphones while walking for digital natives in realistic environments: Effects of cognitive–motor interference

The effect of using smartphones while walking on the cognitive and physical abilities of the “digital native” generation, i.e., individuals who have grown up in a digital media–centric environment, remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of cognitive–motor interference on the use of smartphones while walking in children and young adults. The study involved 50 individuals from the digital age generation, including 24 children and 26 young adults. The study encompassed three experimental conditions, in which participants were instructed to traverse a distance of 60 m. The initial condition functioned as a control, wherein the participants walked without supplementary stimuli. In the second condition, the participants were provided with explicit instructions to grasp the smartphone device and position it in front of their chest by using both hands. This manipulation introduced a postural component into the experimental setup. The third condition required participants to be ambulatory while concurrently engaging in a cognitive task, namely, participating in a game that necessitated focused attention. Gait parameters were obtained by using inertial measurement unit sensors. Subsequently, the acquired gait characteristics were converted into dual-task costs (DTC). In the cognitive condition, children exhibited significantly greater DTC values for gait speed (76%), stride length (79%), stride time (102%), and stride length coefficient of variation (CV) than the young adults (p < 0.025). Moreover, as shown by the increased CV, a significant association exists between poor performance in smartphone games among children and increased variability in stride length. In children, the DTC of stride time CV decreased as smartphone game scores increased (R2 = 16.5%), and the DTC of stride length CV decreased more markedly as smartphone game scores increased (R2 = 28.2%). In conclusion, children are at a higher risk of pedestrian accidents when using smartphones while walking compared to young adults.

The relationship of game genres, in-game purchases, and playing duration with probable gaming disorder in two independent, large-scale online surveys of Japanese adults.

Game genres, availability on smartphones, in-game purchases, and playing duration, have been thought to influence Gaming Disorder (GD). However, little research has comprehensively examined their relationships with GD. Therefore, we examined the relationship between GD, in-game purchases, gaming duration via consoles and smartphones, and genres of smartphone games. Study 1 was based on self-reports, and Study 2 included objective data to clarify these associations. We conducted two independent online surveys that collected sociodemographic data, game use patterns, and psychopathological assessment data, including GD severity (Study 1: N = 32,690; Study 2: N = 3,163). General mental illness scores and objective gaming time were also collected in Study 2. In Study 1, in-game purchases, several gaming genres, and subjective gaming duration were positively associated with probable GD. On the other hand, interactions between card games and loot box charges were negatively related to probable GD. In Study 2, objective gaming times of most game genres were not associated with GD. Although the correlation between subjective and objective gaming duration was moderate, their correlations with GD differed. These results suggest the complexity of relationships between GD and in-game purchases, genres, and gaming duration. Results of this study suggest the importance of proper assessment of GD reflecting actual functional impairment in social life. Future studies should improve and update evaluation of assessments for gaming.

IMPACT ANALYSIS OF SAKURA SCHOOL SIMULATOR GAME ON LANGUAGE ACQUISITION OF 7-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

This study investigates the impact of the smartphone game Sakura School Simulator on language acquisition in 7-year-old girls in Wajak village, Wajak sub-district, Malang district, East Java. It also investigates the understanding of language development in children, including the biological and social aspects that influence the process. The purpose of this study is to understand the extent to which the Sakura School Simulator game can influence language skills in 7-year-old children, with a focus on the use of English. The method used in this study was based on a descriptive qualitative approach and included observation of children playing the Sakura School Simulator game by listening and taking notes. The results showed that children who played the Sakura School Simulator game actively used various English terms in the game, understood instructions in English, and were able to use various game features and options in English. However, the study also warned about the potential negative effects of overusing the game, such as addiction, lack of socialization, and lack of politeness in language use. In conclusion, the use of Sakura school simulator can contribute to language acquisition, especially English in children aged 7 years, but supervision is needed to ensure a positive and effective play experience in children's language development. Keywords: Sakura School Simulator, Language Acquisition, 7 Year Olds

Problematic smartphone use among russian and foreign medical students: prevalence, content consumed, associations with other forms online behavior

Aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of problematic smartphone use, the characteristics of the content consumed and associations with other forms of online behavior among Russian and foreign medical students. Material and methods. 296 medical students were examined using the online survey method: 219 Russians (main group) and 77 foreigners (comparison group); 107 (36.2 %) boys and 189 (63.8 %) girls; age 20 [18; 21] years (median [lower quartile; upper quartile]). The structure of online behavior was assessed: adaptive, non-adaptive, and pathological (PIU) Internet use; specific forms of PIU: problematic use of computer games and social networks, mixed and undifferentiated form of PIU. The values of the total score of the scales of the applied psychometric questionnaires were determined. The indicators were compared in the general group of subjects, in groups of Russians and foreigners, including gender. Results. Problematic smartphone use is typical for 14.2 % of all surveyed. The share of smartphone addicts is higher among foreigners than among Russians (27.3 and 8.0 %, respectively), both boys and girls. PIU prevailed among foreigners (16.1 and 7.4 %), they are more often dependent on social networks (34.5 and 2.4 %). Foreign women were distinguished by a high incidence of problematic use of computer games (20.0 and 3.6 %) and social networks (25.0 and 3.1 %), as well as a mixed form of PIU (20.0 and 2.5 %). The content consumed by Russians (boys + girls) was dominated by being on social networks (77.6 Russians and 46.7 % foreigners) and listening to music (50.7 and 31.2 %, respectively). Gender differences in content included more frequent use of social networks by Russian students, both boys (81.1 and 48.1 %) and girls (76.5 and 43.5 %); more frequent listening to music by Russian males in comparison with foreign males (66.0 and 29.6 %) and Russian females (66.0 and 45.8 %). Foreign boys use smartphones for games more often than foreign girls, the preoccupation with smartphone games is higher among Russian women as well. Conclusions. The prevalence of problematic smartphone use, the characteristics of the content consumed and associations with other forms of PIU among Russian and foreign students were established. In our opinion, it is necessary to carry out further research aimed at solving an urgent medical and social problem of timely diagnosis of smartphonedependent behavior and prevention of somatic and neuropsychic health disorders associated with it in young people. The current range of indicators to be studied in people with problematic smartphone use should include an analysis of comorbid psychosomatic disorders (recurrent pain: headaches, abdominal pain, back pain) and features of psychosocial characteristics, taking into account age, sex and ethnic differences of electronic gadget users.

Sexual behaviour among Kenyan adolescents enrolled in an efficacy trial of a smartphone game to prevent HIV: a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data

ABSTRACT Sexual behaviour of adolescents is contextual, with various determinants affecting sexual activity and age of sexual debut. Insight into sexual activity among young adolescents has the potential to influence appropriate sexual and reproductive health interventions. For this analysis, adolescents were recruited as part of the Tumaini smartphone game efficacy trial. Data collection included a self-administered behavioural survey and blood test for HIV and HSV-2. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographics and measures of sexual behaviour and behavioural intent based on gender and sexual experience, with associations assessed using chi-square tests, t-tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests as appropriate. We enrolled 996 adolescents, mean age 14 years and 2.2% HSV-2 positivity. Overall, 15% of the adolescents were sexually experienced, this being associated with lower socio-economic status (p = 0.01), household food insecurity (p = 0.008), a living situation without both parents (p < 0.01), substance use (p = 0.02), no adult conversation about future goals (p = 0.003), conversations about condoms (p = 0.01), with some gender disparity within these factors. Among those sexually experienced, 21.7% reported unwilling sex; 17.5% had engaged in transactional sex; 57.8% had willing first sex, of whom 60.9% reported no condom use. Among those abstaining, female adolescents were less likely to contemplate condom use at first sex (p = 0.006). Our findings determine that young sexually active adolescents are likely engaging in unprotected sex and having unwilling sexual experiences. Socio-economic status, living situation and parental monitoring remain significant factors associated with sexual experience among young adolescents. In this context, early adolescence is an opportunity to provide age- and developmentally appropriate education about safer sex practices. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04437667.

The Impact on Vergence Parameters After Smartphone Gaming.

To evaluate the impact of smartphone gaming on the vergence system of the eye. A 5-month (from March 2023 to August 2023) comparative and experimental research was conducted. Eighty-two participants with a mean age of 21.98 ± 2.26 years were present in the study. Prior to assessing accommodation and vergence system characteristics, participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination. The participants were asked to play a shooting game on a smartphone for 30 minutes at a 40 cm distance. Measurements of the vergence parameters were taken before and after the activity and afterwards were compared. Non-parametric tests were used to compare pre- and post-task measurements. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the variables: Negative fusional vergence (NFV), Positive fusional vergence (PFV), Near point of convergence (NPC), and Vergence Facility (VF), with the alpha error set at 5%. The mean age of the participants was 21.98 ± 2.26 years. Post-task, the vergence parameters: NPC (p < 0.001), NFV for near distance (p < 0.001), PFV for near distance (p < 0.001), and VF (p < 0.001) showed significant decrease in vergence parameters. The study shows smartphone gaming for 30 minutes affects the vergence system, leading to binocular vision anomalies in young individuals.

Factors Governing the Amount of Fan Fiction of Smartphone Game Apps

Factors Governing the Amount of Fan Fiction of Smartphone Game Apps

VESTA: A SMARTPHONE-BASED ASSESSMENT OF MODERN FINANCIAL CAPACITY FOR OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Older adults are often targeted by financial scammers who exploit people unfamiliar with financial technologies and who may struggle to identifying fraudulent activity. Financial technologies have undergone significant changes in recent decades, yet financial capacity measures often do not reflect this shift. There is a clear need for innovating the measurement of financial capacity, particularly among older adults. VESTA (Virtual Economic Simulation and Trust Assessment) is a novel smartphone application that measures older adults’ susceptibility to different forms of financial exploitation. VESTA plays out like a smartphone game in which the user furnishes a virtual household. As the user conducts these virtual transactions, they are tasked with spending within a budget, monitoring bank charges, disclosing personal information securely, and determining whether incoming messages (i.e., texts, emails, and voicemail messages) are fraudulent or legitimate. The fraudulent charges and messages include contextual clues that mirror real-life scams. VESTA was designed to assess the user’s ability to manage money, identify incorrect information, and judge who to trust independent of memory ability. VESTA therefore purposefully targets severely overlooked pitfalls that impact older adults’ ability to identify fraudulent activity. Furthermore, VESTA utilizes a user-friendly, accessible design with large font and complete navigation with the simple press of a finger. As the migration of financial management and communication continues towards predominantly digital landscapes, this research and diagnostic tool represents an evolution of existing measures of financial capacity for an at-risk aging population.

Decreasing the Problematic Use of an Information System: A Conceptual Replication in the Context of Digital Streaming Services

This study is a conceptual replication of Chen, Zhang, Gong, Lee, and Wang’s (2020) study that examines factors influencing the intention to decrease problematic Information Systems (IS) use. In contrast with Chen et al.’s smartphone gaming context, we apply their theoretical model to the context of digital streaming services. Aligned with the original study, we tested the model using a scenario-based survey. Results are largely consistent with the original study, albeit with several exceptions. Our findings support that protection motivation theory (PMT) is useful in explaining decreasing problematic use in situations of threats. Threats are the negative consequences caused by problematic streaming service use. Users experience fear when they believe the negative consequences are likely to occur, and the consequential harm will be serious if they occur. When threatened, users are more motivated to decrease use if they believe decreasing use is effective in mitigating the threat and they have confidence in executing it. However, such motivation is not influenced by costs incurred by decreasing use. Further, we validate that invoking fear can break users’ viewing habits, which promotes their intention to decrease use. Yet, such an effect is limited. Future research might explore other factors that are effective in breaking users’ viewing habits.

The Impact of Elementary School Students' Emotional Problems on Smartphone Game Addiction: The Multi-Mediation Effects of Parent-Child Communication and Ego-Resilience

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of emotional problems(EB), such as depression and anxiety, on smartphone game addiction(SGA) of elementary school students, and to indentify how parent-child communication(PCC) and ego-resilience(ER) act as multiple mediating factors. A survey was conducted with 572 students at grades 4 to 6 at two elementary schools in a metropolitan area. The survey was constructed to assess the levels of EB, SGA, PCC and ER. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, and the multi-mediated effect was confirmed via bootstrap analysis. The primary findings are as follows. Firstly, ER of elementary school students was found to escalate their SGA either directly or indirectly. Secondly, both PCC and ER were found to mediate the relationship between EB and SG through a multi-mediation analysis. In the analysis, three significant pathways were identified: 'EB → PCC → SGA', 'EB → ER → SGA', and 'EB → PCC → ER → SGA'. Therefore, it is essential to totally consider emotional problems, familial communication, and ego-concept of elementary school students to prevent or intervene in their smartphone game addiction.

Handling the Inconsistency between Self-Report and the Actual Behavior: Validity of Excluding Survey Participants with Insufficient Effort Responding

In this study, we aimed to understand and reduce the difference between self-report in a survey and the actual behavior. Thus, we investigated whether such a difference was caused by participants who engaged in insufficient effort responding (IER), which has been receiving increasing research attention. We collected and analyzed data of actual and self-reported smartphone game usage from behavior logs and survey responses including the items associated with the IER scale, respectively. The results confirmed a strong tendency of overreporting and low correlations between the behavior log and survey responses for IER participants. Although the distributions of survey responses differed between IER participants and others, those of the behavior log did not. In conclusion, when IER participants are excluded, the difference between the behavior log and survey responses reduces, but the distribution of the actual behavior remains the same without selection bias.

Effect of online game policy on smartphone game play time, addiction, and emotion in rural adolescents of China

BackgroundSmartphone game addiction has emerged as a major public health problem in China and worldwide. In November 2019 and August 2021, the National Press and Publication Administration of China implemented two increasingly strict policies, as a means of preventing smartphone game addiction in adolescents aged 18 or below. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the policies on smartphone game play time, addiction, and emotion among rural adolescents in China.MethodsWe sent the questionnaire to rural adolescents through the online survey tool Questionnaire Star, a professional online survey evaluation platform. The questionnaire included demographic data, smartphone use survey, smartphone game addiction and emotion evaluation scales. The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) measured adolescents’ smartphone game addiction. The Short Version of UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (SUPPS-P) and Social Anxiety Scale for Children (SASC) measured emotion. According to SAS-SV score, the enrolled rural adolescents were divided into addiction group and non-addiction group. The t-test, Chi-square test, and repeated measure ANOVA assessed the effect of the policies on adolescents’ smartphone game addiction and emotion.ResultsAmong enrolled 459 rural adolescents with a mean age of 14.36 ± 1.37years, 151 (32.90%) were in the addiction group and 308 (67.10%) were in the non-addiction group. Adolescents in the addiction group were older, more male, and higher grade. There were time and group effects between the two groups in playtime. After a year of policies implementation, the weekly game time dropped from 3.52 ± 1.89 h to 2.63 ± 1.93 h in the addiction group and from 2.71 ± 1.75 h to 2.36 ± 1.73 h in the non-addiction group. There were also time and group effects in SAS-SV and SASC scores, but not for SUPPS-P score. In the addiction group, the SAS-SV score dropped from 41.44 ± 7.45 to 29.58 ± 12.43, which was below the cut-off value for addiction, and the level of social anxiety was consistently higher than non-addiction group.ConclusionsThe playtime of rural adolescents spent on smartphone games has decreased significantly due to the restriction of the policies rather than the lack of addiction or social anxiety. The policies had practically significant effects in reducing smartphone game play time for rural adolescents in China.

Using smartphones to optimise and scale-up the assessment of model-based planning

Model-based planning is thought to protect against over-reliance on habits. It is reduced in individuals high in compulsivity, but effect sizes are small and may depend on subtle features of the tasks used to assess it. We developed a diamond-shooting smartphone game that measures model-based planning in an at-home setting, and varied the game’s structure within and across participants to assess how it affects measurement reliability and validity with respect to previously established correlates of model-based planning, with a focus on compulsivity. Increasing the number of trials used to estimate model-based planning did remarkably little to affect the association with compulsivity, because the greatest signal was in earlier trials. Associations with compulsivity were higher when transition ratios were less deterministic and depending on the reward drift utilised. These findings suggest that model-based planning can be measured at home via an app, can be estimated in relatively few trials using certain design features, and can be optimised for sensitivity to compulsive symptoms in the general population.

322 Using a serious smartphone game to improve and retain knowledge of hand placement for adult chest compressions: A randomized wait-list controlled trial

322 Using a serious smartphone game to improve and retain knowledge of hand placement for adult chest compressions: A randomized wait-list controlled trial

Meaning and Usage of Jibun in Oral Japanese

This study analyzes the meaning of using the word Jibun in spoken language taken from the story of a smartphone game entitled "Twisted Wonderland". This study uses conversational data in the game as research data. This study aims to recognize the various meanings and uses of the word Jibun in the Japanese spoken language. This qualitative research uses a descriptive method, which describes the data obtained and concludes the results through categories formed through the results of data description and analysis. Electronic games are data sources, mainly from the Heisei and Reiwa eras up to the time of this research. The result found that the use of the word Jibun as Saikikei, the use of the word Jibun as a personal pronoun, and the word Jibun as a word that refers to a general person. However, compared to the previously studied theory, some differences in usage were found. The use of Jibun as Saikikei in spoken language has differences in the order of subject positions because, in this study, the data used is part of a conversation and uses spoken language, so the word order does not match the standard language.

Pengaruh Virtual Laboratorium yang Terintegrasi dengan Mobile Game Edukasi Smartphone pada Praktikum Penentuan Senyawa Asam dan Basa

This study aims to determine the effect of Virtual Laboratories Integrated with Mobile Educational Smartphone Games integrated virtual laboratories on learning outcomes in the practice of determining acid and base compounds. This type of research is a quasi-experimental with one group pretest posttest experimental design. The sample of this study were 10 semester 1 students who were determined by the simple total technique. The instrument used in this research is the learning achievement test. The results of data analysis can be concluded that there is an effect of virtual laboratories on student learning outcomes with a sig (2-tailed) value less than 0.05 (0.000 &lt;0.05).

Sedentary Activities and Food Intake among Children and Adolescents in the Zhejiang Province of China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sedentary behavior may affect the types of food consumed in children and adolescents' daily diets. Previous published studies are limited to local surveys. This study aimed to explore the relationship between sedentary behavior and food intake among children and adolescents. A stratified sampling technique was employed in the present cross-sectional study. Demographic characteristics, sedentary behavior, transportation modes, and food intake were investigated. We found that children and adolescents who watched movies or TV programs online or on their smartphones on weekends and who chatted online on weekends, including on QQ (an instant messaging software service) and WeChat (an instant messaging software service), increased their intake of instant noodles and fried pasta (Spearman's rho = 0.468, 0.575, 0.465, and 0.323; p < 0.05). Children and adolescents who chatted online on weekends, including on QQ and WeChat, increased their intake of tofu skin (Spearman's rho = 0.461; p < 0.05), and those who browsed online on weekdays increased their intake of whole-fat liquid milk (Spearman's rho = 0.455; p < 0.05). Children and adolescents who browsed and chatted online on weekends, including on QQ and WeChat, and who played computer or smartphone games, increased their intake of fried potato chips (French fries or other fried snacks) (Spearman's rho = 0.568, 0.270, and 0.412; p < 0.05). With respect to modes of transportation used to travel to and from school, children and adolescents who took buses and subways increased their intake of rice, instant noodles, sweet potatoes, soybean milk, tofu skin, processed meat products (sausage, ham sausage, or lunch meat), fish, shrimp, vegetables, nuts, and sweet cookies (buns, cakes, Dim sum, and moon cakes) (Spearman's rho = 0.394, 0.536, 0.630, 0.408, 0.485, 0.441,0.410, 0.424, 0.444, 0.541, and 0.366; p < 0.05). Sedentary behavior affects the types of food consumed in children and adolescents' daily diets. Children and adolescents who browsed online on weekdays increased their intake of whole-fat liquid milk, but also increased their intake of foods with high fat, high salt, and low nutrient density. Children and adolescents taking buses and subways increased their intake of low-nutrition quality products. Public awareness efforts should focus on reducing the consumption of low-nutrition quality products and nutritional education.