Evaluating efficacy and validating games for health
Abstract
The field of games for health is growing rapidly, but many games for health are not validated for their use as a tool to improve outcomes. The few research studies that do exist are often poorly designed, and their conclusions cannot be considered valid evidence to support or refute efficacy. Based on lessons learned from the field of digital game-based learning in education and recent efforts to systematically review games for health in meta-analyses, guidelines are suggested for conducting high-quality efficacy studies on games for health.
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A good blend of fun and educational elements is critical for serious game effectiveness.
“This finding supports hypotheses from previous articles suggesting that a good theoretical blending of the ‘fun’ and ‘educational’ element is critical in game effectiveness (Baranowski et al. 2011;DeShazo, Harris, & Pratt 2010;Kato 2012;Kharrazi, Lu, Gharghabi, & Coleman 2012;Papastergiou 2009).”
From A meta-analysis of serious digital games for healthy lifestyle promotion (2014) · cites this paper as Kato 2012
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- Authors
- Kato, P. M.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Kato, Pamela M.
- ORCID
- Kato, Pamela M.
- Venue
- Games for Health Journal
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-02
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 74-76
- ISSN
- 2161-783X (ISSN-L)
- 2161-7856
- OpenAlex
- W2042662254
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 13.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Games for Health Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Keywords
- health games, efficacy evaluation, research design, digital game-based learning, meta-analysis, research guidelines, quality of evidence
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