An Escape Game to Promote Students' Mental Health Outcomes in the Aftermaths of Covid-19 Pandemic: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating a Cocreated Intervention
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 招募中
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 191
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- The Mental Health Literacy Scale
研究概览
简要总结
The Covid-19 pandemic and the protracted lockdowns have heavily impacted university students' mental health. Digital Escape Games represent a good means to reach students and propose them solutions for their psychological well-being.
The objective of the study is to evaluate a cocreated digital Escape Game on students' mental health in the Covid-19 era. The evaluation of the effectiveness of this stand-alone intervention concerns mental health outcomes (mental health literacy, appraisal and change of beliefs about mental health, recognition and management of emotions, and positive coping strategies) and the appreciation and relevance of the game.
A randomized controlled trial with pre- and post-test data collection (online questionnaires with validated scales) will be conducted among 500 students in Bordeaux, France, to evaluate a game cocreated with students, researchers, health professionals and web-developers. A sub-sample of students will be randomly selected for responding to a semi-structured interview following a mixed methods design. Recruitment will be done through mail invitation from student associations and presentations in university classes. Half of the sample (250 students) will play the Escape Game, while the other half will receive an email with mental health-related information. The whole study is carried out online.
As of December 2nd 2024, 191 students have answered the baseline questionnaire (90 intervention vs. 101 control). Twenty-three students have played the Escape Game and 53 are in the control arm. The current sample size is too small for reaching significance level. Among participants, 20 were interviewed (10 intervention vs. 10 control) reaching the saturation of the sample. According to preliminary results, the game has proved a positive impact on all defined outcomes, while the email has been effective in increasing knowledge on resources available and on coping strategies and meditation techniques. We expect the trial to be completed by the end of June 2025.
Preliminary results from the qualitative sub-study are promising: in the aftermaths of the Covid-19 crisis, this intervention is intended to promote players' mental health through gamification, knowledge transfer and a learning-by-doing approach.
详细描述
The main objective of this study is to evaluate through a randomized controlled trial and semi-structured interviews (mixed methods design) an intervention on mental health promotion and on psychological disease prevention in the form of a digital Escape Game addressed to University students in the era of Covid-19.
The specific objectives of the study are:
- assessing among students the effectiveness of the digital Escape Game in (a) increasing players' mental health literacy, (b) helping appraise and change students' beliefs about mental health, (c) supporting recognition and management of their emotions, and (d) teaching them useful positive coping strategies;
- assessing the impact of the digital Escape Game on participants' levels of anxiety, stress and depression; and
- questioning the appreciation and relevance of the digital Escape Game among students.
Consequential research hypotheses of the study are:
- compared to the control group receiving another intervention, after playing the digital Escape Game, students have remarkably improved the following mental health indicators: mental health literacy, identification and positive change of beliefs about mental health, recognition and management of emotions, and adoption of positive coping strategies;
- the intervention group also presents reduced levels of anxiety, depression and stress after having played the game one week, one month and three months after the intervention (comparison with the control group and within the group); and
- digital Escape Games are considered as appealing and relevant by students when treating mental health.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Prevention
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •university students
- •understanding and speaking French
- •being aged more than 18 years old
排除标准
- •not enrolled in a French university
- •not understanding and speaking French
- •not having given one's electronic consent
结局指标
主要结局
The Mental Health Literacy Scale
时间窗: Up to 3 months (baseline + one week + one month and three months after having played the Escape Game or having received the email.the email
Validated scale on knowledge, information and beliefs about mental health. Score range from 35 to 160. There are no categories, it is a continuous score.
The Health Belief Model Scale
时间窗: Up to 3 months (baseline + one week + one month and three months after having played the Escape Game or having received the email. Score ranges from 1 to 5, continuous variable.
Validated scale on how we perceive and represent health in general and mental health in particular
The Differential Emotions Scale
时间窗: Up to 3 months (baseline + one week + one month and three months after having played the Escape Game or having received the email.the email
Validated scale for assessment of an individual's emotions. Mean, standard deviation, variance.
The Ways of Coping strategy Questionnaire
时间窗: Up to 3 months (baseline + one week + one month and three months after having played the Escape Game or having received the email.the email
Validated questionnaire describing one's resilience and knowledge of strategies to promote (mental) health and prevent (mental) diseases
Acceptability and relevance of the game
时间窗: One week after having played the Escape Game or having received the email.
Ad hoc items to describe the appreciation of the game. Sum of the answers, continuous variable.
次要结局
未报告次要终点
研究者
Montagni Ilaria
Lecturer-researcher
University of Bordeaux