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.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
350
Video uses BA techniques for approximately 5 minutes
Game provides positive feedback in response to decisions made by participants
Game without feedback
Bard College
Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, United States
patient health questionnaire (PHQ; 8 items)
The PHQ measures depression; scores range from 0 to 24 with higher scores indicating more depression.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: Completed at baseline (T0)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7)
7-item measure of generalized anxiety; scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating more anxiety.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: one-week follow-up (T1)
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