scholarly journals Leveraging Family to Promote Digital Health: Findings from the Pok�mon GO Mixed Methods Study of Children and Families (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa K Militello ◽  
Nathan Hanna ◽  
Claudio R Nigg
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Parental Influence ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Pokémon Go ◽  
Adult Caregivers ◽  
Reported Data ◽  
Parent Response

BACKGROUND Pokémon GO illuminated the potential for mobile gaming apps to engage users and promote health. However, much work is needed to fully understand mechanisms through which digitally supported behavior change intervention operate, particularly for children and families. OBJECTIVE The goal of the current study was to explore the user-experience and changes in physical activity since playing Pokémon GO from a family perspective and within the greater context of family health. Specifically, factors related to engagement, user trends over time, and health were examined from the perspective of parents, adult caregivers, and children/teen Pokémon GO players. METHODS In January-February 2017, congruent with one of the largest anticipated Pokémon GO updates “Gen 2,” a retrospective pre-post design was used to investigate changes in physical activity in parents and adult caregivers since playing Pokémon GO. Additional descriptive data was collected via a survey that incorporated both closed and open-ended questions from parents and adult caregivers who were impacted by a child/teen that played Pokémon GO. Children/teens who played Pokémon GO were also invited to participate. RESULTS Self-reported data from 160 adults and 31 children were included in the final analyses (representing 129 adults and 31 parent-child dyads). Gameplay most often occurred between mothers and sons ≤10 years old. “Spending time together” was the most cited reason for gameplay by both adults (76.3%) and children (77.4%), followed by “it helped me go outdoors” (70.1%) for adults and “I am a Pokémon fan” (67.7%) by children. Playing Pokémon GO also helped to satisfy the top three identified family goals: having fun, spending more time/quality time with child, and exercising more. Unique to this population, open-ended responses indicated child gameplay could trigger both positive and negative emotional parent response. Boredom was the most cited reason for app disengagement, while in-app events most contributed to reengagement. For adults, there were significant increases in minutes spent in mild (M=23.36, SD = 66.02; t(97)=3.50, P=.001) and moderate (M=21.76, SD 53.04; t(130)=4.70, P=.000) physical activity per week after playing Pokémon GO. However, dyadic data indicated that child perceptions of parental influence on physical activity most significantly associated with parents who reported weekly strenuous physical activity both before (rs =.514, P=.003) and after (rs =.536, P=.003) Pokémon GO uptake. CONCLUSIONS Pokémon GO transcended traditional understanding of digital health and uniquely reached across generations to engage users. Findings from this study highlight that, for a period of time, Pokémon GO fostered social and physical well-being for children and families through a multifaceted approach.

scholarly journals Spirituality and Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Latino Men and Women in Massachusetts

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie J. Silfee ◽  
Christina F. Haughton ◽  
Stephenie C. Lemon ◽  
Vilma Lora ◽  
Milagros C. Rosal
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Latino Men ◽  
Hispanic Adults ◽  
Sectional Analysis ◽  
The Impact

<p class="Pa7"><strong>Objective: </strong>To examine the relationships be­tween spirituality and physical activity and sedentary behavior in a sample of Latino adults in Massachusetts.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Design: </strong>This is a cross-sectional analysis of the Lawrence Health and Well Being Study; a study that was conducted among patients at the Greater Lawrence Family Health Cen­ter (GLFHC) in Lawrence, Massachusetts.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Participants: </strong>602 Latino or Hispanic adults aged 21 to 85 years completed the study.</p><p class="Pa7"><strong>Results: </strong>There was a significant nega­tive relationship between spirituality and sedentary behavior (β= -.12, p = .004). Although not statistically significant, higher spirituality was associated with increased odds of engaging in physical activity. There were no significant associations between spirituality and physical activity among men or women. Men with greater spirituality were significantly less sedentary (β = -.17, P = .005). There was no relationship between sedentary behavior and spirituality among women.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study found that indi­viduals who are more spiritual are also less sedentary, and this association was stronger in men than women. Findings provide insight for developing future interventions to promote activity in this high-risk popula­tion, which has been greatly understudied. Future research endeavors should consider investigating the impact of spirituality-based messages to reduce sedentary behavior among Latinos.</p><p><em>Ethn Dis. </em>2017;27(1):3-10; doi:10.18865/ed.27.1.3.</p>

scholarly journals Location-based Games as Exergames - From Pokémon To The Wizarding World

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuli Laato ◽  
Sonja Hyrynsalmi ◽  
Sampsa Rauti ◽  
A.K.M. Najmul Islam ◽  
Teemu H. Laine
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Early Adopters ◽  
Pokémon Go

Exergames, i.e. games which aim to increase player’s physical activity, are a prominent sub-category of serious games (SGs). Recently, location-based games (LBGs) similar to Pokémon GO have gained the attention of exergame designers as they have been able to reach people who would otherwise not be motivated to exercise. Multiple studies have been conducted on Pokémon GO alone, identifying positive outcomes related to, for example, exercise and social well-being. However, with substantial findings derived from a single game, it is unclear whether the identified benefits of playing Pokémon GO are present in other similar games. In order to broaden the understanding of LBGs as exergames, this study investigates the gameplay features and initial reactions of early adopters to a game called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (HPWU) which was launched in summer 2019. A questionnaire (N=346) was sent to HPWU players to measure the effects playing the game has on their physical activity. During the first week of play, an increase in mild physical activity was recorded among HPWU players, similar to what has been reported with Pokémon GO. Also almost half of respondents (46,82%) reported to play the game socially, showcasing how LBGs can generally have a positive impactalso on players’ social well-being.

scholarly journals Relation between ADHD and COVID-19: A Narrative Review to Guide Advancing Clinical Research and Therapy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samin Davoody ◽  
Stella Goeschl ◽  
Mahsa Dolatshahi ◽  
Rozita Davari-Ashtiani ◽  
Reyhaneh Saffarpour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Parental Influence ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Behavioral Issues ◽  
Reduced Physical Activity ◽  
Remote Learning

Objective: To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, national health authorities temporarily closed cultural, religious, and educational institutions such as universities and schools. Children and adolescents with ADHD were challenged with the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic such as homeschooling and reduced physical activity. The present narrative review aimed to summarize the state-of-the-art regarding associations between COVID-19-related social restrictions and possible psychological and behavioral issues in children and adolescents with ADHD. Additionally, we discussed the underlying possible reasons of the association focusing on the role of parental influence and physical activity, vulnerabilities of individuals with ADHD to Covid-19 infection and to school closure and remote learning. Method: To collect data for the present narrative review, recent publications on these topics between February 1st, 2020 and January 10th, 2021 were retrieved from the most popular search engines (PubMed; Scopus; Google Scholar; Psych Info; Embase) through a comprehensive search using relevant keywords. Results: During confinement, children and adolescents with ADHD reported increased behavioral and ADHD-related symptoms and overall decreased psychological well-being. Factors negatively impacting children’s and adolescents’ behavioral symptoms and well-being were: less physical activity, adverse parental behavior, difficulties in coping with preventive guidelines, and school closure and remote learning consequences. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with ADHD and their caregivers faced both specific and general psychological issues related to the school lockdowns and homeschooling. Additionally, Individuals with ADHD seem to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 infection which highlights the need for better healthcare adaptation.

Pokémon Go: digital health interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1625-1626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chayakrit Krittanawong ◽  
Mehmet Aydar ◽  
Takeshi Kitai
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Coronary Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
New Era ◽  
Pokémon Go

AbstractPhysical activity is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease/cardiovascular disease mortality, and current guidelines recommend physical activity for primary prevention in healthy individuals and secondary prevention in patients with coronary heart disease/cardiovascular disease. Over the last decade, playing classic video games has become one of the most popular leisure activities in the world, but is associated with a sedentary lifestyle. In the new era of rapidly evolving augmented reality technology, Pokémon Go, a well-known augmented reality game, may promote physical activity and prevent cardiovascular disease risks – that is, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Pokémon Go makes players willing to be physically active for regular and long periods of time. We report on an assessment of regular walking and playing Pokémon Go by performing data mining in Twitter.

scholarly journals Effects of Pokémon GO on Physical Activity and Psychological and Social Outcomes: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1860
Author(s):  
Jung Eun Lee ◽  
Nan Zeng ◽  
Yoonsin Oh ◽  
Daehyoung Lee ◽  
Zan Gao
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Social Outcomes ◽  
Walking Behavior ◽  
Pokémon Go ◽  
The Impact

Augmented reality (AR) mobile game, Pokémon GO, leverages gamification and location tracking technology to encourage players to walk in different places to catch Pokémon characters in real-world settings. The systematic review sought to explore the impact Pokémon GO has on players’ physical activity (PA), and psychological and social outcomes. Six research databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus) were used. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) quantitative research published in English; (2) examined the relationships between or impact of Pokémon GO on PA, psychological, and/or social outcomes; and (3) included participants played or exposed to Pokémon GO. Thirty-six studies were included with a total sample of 38,724 participants. Players had significantly greater PA than non-players in terms of daily steps and number of days spent in moderate PA. Pokémon GO game also improved players’ social interactions and their mood/affects. Selective attention and concentration improved in adolescents and memory improved in young adults after playing the game. Findings suggest playing Pokémon GO could promote meaningful improvements in walking behavior, as well as psychological and social well-being. More multidimensional research with randomized controlled trial design is needed to identify factors that influence adoption and sustainability of Pokémon GO playing.

scholarly journals COVID-19 as ‘Game Changer’ for the Physical Activity and Mental Well-Being of Augmented Reality Game Players During the Pandemic: Mixed Methods Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise A Ellis ◽  
Matthew D Lee ◽  
Kiran Ijaz ◽  
James Smith ◽  
Jeffrey Braithwaite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Pokémon Go ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

BACKGROUND Location-based augmented reality (AR) games, such as Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, have been shown to have a beneficial impact on the physical activity, social connectedness, and mental health of their players. In March 2020, global social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the AR games developer Niantic Inc to implement several changes to ensure continued player engagement with Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. We sought to examine how the physical and mental well-being of players of these games were affected during the unprecedented COVID-19 restriction period as well as how their video game engagement was affected. OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the physical and mental well-being of AR game players; to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the use of video games and motivations for their use; and to explore the potential role of AR games (and video games in general) in supporting well-being during COVID-19–related social restrictions. METHODS A mixed methods web-based self-reported survey was conducted in May 2020, during which COVID-19–related social restrictions were enforced in many countries. Participants were recruited on the web via four subreddits dedicated to Pokémon GO or Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Data collected included quantitative data on demographics, time spent playing video games, physical activity, and mental health; qualitative data included motivations to play and the impact of video games on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown. RESULTS We report results for 2004 participants (1153/1960 male, 58.8%, average age 30.5 years). Self-reported physical activity during COVID-19–related social restrictions significantly decreased from 7.50 hours per week on average (SD 11.12) to 6.50 hours (SD 7.81) (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). More than half of the participants reported poor mental health (925/1766, 52.4%; raw World Health Organization–5 Well-Being Index score &lt;13). Female gender, younger age, and reduced exercise were significant predictors of poor mental health. Participants reported a significant increase in video game play time from 16.38 hours per week on average (SD 19.12) to 20.82 hours (SD 17.49) (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Approximately three quarters of the participants (n=1102/1427, 77.2%) reported that playing video games had been beneficial to their mental health. The changes made to Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite were very well received by players, and the players continued to use these games while exercising and to maintain social connection. In addition to seeking an escape during the pandemic and as a form of entertainment, participants reported that they used video games for emotional coping and to lower stress, relax, and alleviate mental health conditions. CONCLUSIONS AR games have the potential to promote physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Used by populations under isolation and distress, these games can improve physical and mental health by providing virtual socialization, sustained exercise, temporal routine, and mental structure. Further research is needed to explore the potential of AR games as digital behavioral interventions to maintain human well-being in the wider population.

scholarly journals CONTEXTO FAMILIAR E IMPLICACIÓN EN EL ÁMBITO FÍSICO-DEPORTIVO DURANTE LA ADOLESCENCIA

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Revuelta ◽  
Guillermo Infante ◽  
Inge Axpe
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Parental Influence ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Other ◽  
Personal Adjustment ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Sport Activities

Abstract.FAMILY CONTEXT AND INVOLVEMENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING ADOLESCENCEAmong the contextual factors that mediate in youth’s well-being and personal adjustment, parental influence is one of the most studied. In this research we focus on the effects that parental support has in youth’s engagement in physical and sport activities, which improves adolescents’ well-being and personal adjustment. Participants were 169 adolescents between 11 – 19 years old (M = 14.22; SD = 1.52) and their families. Results show that parental support (both from parents and mothers) has a stronger effect in daughters. On the other hand, mothers’ support reveals a stronger effect both in sons and daughters engagement.Key words: family support, physical and sport activities, parental support, adolescents’ engagementResumen.Entre las variables contextuales que median sobre el ajuste y bienestar juvenil, la influencia parental es una de las más estudiadas. Este trabajo investiga el apoyo parental sobre la implicación en actividades físico-deportivas (AFD) de los hijos/as, clave para potenciar su bienestar y ajuste personal. Participan 169 familias con hijos de entre 11 – 19 años (M = 14.22; DT = 1.52). Los resultados muestran que el apoyo tanto de padres como de madres incide en mayor manera sobre las hijas. Se observa también que la influencia materna tiene un mayor efecto que la paterna tanto sobre la implicación de los hijos como de las hijas.Palabras clave: apoyo familiar, actividad físico-deportiva, influencia parental, implicación adolescente

scholarly journals COVID-19 as ‘Game Changer’ for the Physical Activity and Mental Well-Being of Augmented Reality Game Players During the Pandemic: Mixed Methods Survey Study

10.2196/25117 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. e25117
Author(s):  
Louise A Ellis ◽  
Matthew D Lee ◽  
Kiran Ijaz ◽  
James Smith ◽  
Jeffrey Braithwaite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Pokémon Go ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Background Location-based augmented reality (AR) games, such as Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, have been shown to have a beneficial impact on the physical activity, social connectedness, and mental health of their players. In March 2020, global social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the AR games developer Niantic Inc to implement several changes to ensure continued player engagement with Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. We sought to examine how the physical and mental well-being of players of these games were affected during the unprecedented COVID-19 restriction period as well as how their video game engagement was affected. Objective The aims of this study were to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the physical and mental well-being of AR game players; to examine the impact of COVID-19–related social restrictions on the use of video games and motivations for their use; and to explore the potential role of AR games (and video games in general) in supporting well-being during COVID-19–related social restrictions. Methods A mixed methods web-based self-reported survey was conducted in May 2020, during which COVID-19–related social restrictions were enforced in many countries. Participants were recruited on the web via four subreddits dedicated to Pokémon GO or Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Data collected included quantitative data on demographics, time spent playing video games, physical activity, and mental health; qualitative data included motivations to play and the impact of video games on mental health during COVID-19 lockdown. Results We report results for 2004 participants (1153/1960 male, 58.8%, average age 30.5 years). Self-reported physical activity during COVID-19–related social restrictions significantly decreased from 7.50 hours per week on average (SD 11.12) to 6.50 hours (SD 7.81) (P<.001). More than half of the participants reported poor mental health (925/1766, 52.4%; raw World Health Organization–5 Well-Being Index score <13). Female gender, younger age, and reduced exercise were significant predictors of poor mental health. Participants reported a significant increase in video game play time from 16.38 hours per week on average (SD 19.12) to 20.82 hours (SD 17.49) (P<.001). Approximately three quarters of the participants (n=1102/1427, 77.2%) reported that playing video games had been beneficial to their mental health. The changes made to Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite were very well received by players, and the players continued to use these games while exercising and to maintain social connection. In addition to seeking an escape during the pandemic and as a form of entertainment, participants reported that they used video games for emotional coping and to lower stress, relax, and alleviate mental health conditions. Conclusions AR games have the potential to promote physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Used by populations under isolation and distress, these games can improve physical and mental health by providing virtual socialization, sustained exercise, temporal routine, and mental structure. Further research is needed to explore the potential of AR games as digital behavioral interventions to maintain human well-being in the wider population.

Measuring Impact of Stress in Sandwich Generation Caring for Demented Parents

GeroPsych ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 171-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence M. Solberg ◽  
Lauren B. Solberg ◽  
Emily N. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽  
Social Worker ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sandwich Generation ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Adult Caregivers ◽  
The Impact

Stress in caregivers may affect the healthcare recipients receive. We examined the impact of stress experienced by 45 adult caregivers of their elderly demented parents. The participants completed a 32-item questionnaire about the impact of experienced stress. The questionnaire also asked about interventions that might help to reduce the impact of stress. After exploratory factor analysis, we reduced the 32-item questionnaire to 13 items. Results indicated that caregivers experienced stress, anxiety, and sadness. Also, emotional, but not financial or professional, well-being was significantly impacted. There was no significant difference between the impact of caregiver stress on members from the sandwich generation and those from the nonsandwich generation. Meeting with a social worker for resource availability was identified most frequently as a potentially helpful intervention for coping with the impact of stress.

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