The Effectiveness of a Mobile Game Intervention in Alcohol Use Disorder (Gamification)

University of Yalova

Status: Completed

Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder

Treatments: Drug: Akamprosat or Naltrekson or combined medical treatment (Akamprosat and Naltrekson); Other: Mobile game app

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07103785

2011-KAEK/80

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile game application targeting attentional bias modification for alcohol stimuli in patients with Alcohol Use Disorder. Attentional bias is the tendency for individuals to pay more attention to some environmental stimuli than others. Previous evidence suggests that attentional bias for alcohol stimuli is associated with severity of drinking and craving. The research questions are as follows;

• Does the developed mobile game application reduce the attentional bias related to alcohol?
• Does the developed mobile game application reduce alcohol craving severity?
• Does the developed mobile game application reduce the severity of alcohol drinking? The researchers will evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile game, which aims to reduce attentional bias to alcohol stimuli, as standard treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (medical treatment) versus standard treatment + mobile game application group.

Participants,

• Comply with the medical treatment prescribed by the doctor
• Use the mobile gaming app every other day for one month
• Come back in a month for an evaluation
• Be available for a telephone interview three months after the first interview

Full description

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a significant public health problem that has far-reaching consequences for the well-being of individuals, families, and society. Recent studies have demonstrated that attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli is associated with several variables, including alcohol craving, alcohol consumption behavior, and relapse following treatment. Therefore, interventions aimed at modifying attentional bias for alcohol cues have been a subject of scholarly interest.

The literature shows that, in addition to psychotherapeutic strategies, computerized versions of conventional attentional bias assessment instruments-referred to as Attentional Bias Modification (ABM)-have been utilized to decrease alcohol-related attentional bias. Some research indicates that ABM training produces results similar to psychotherapeutic treatments. ABM has the benefits of fewer interaction demands, time, and geographical limitations.

Gamified ABM methods have displayed encouraging impacts in decreasing craving, substance use, and relapse in different types of addiction. Nevertheless, research assessing gamified ABM treatments in people specifically diagnosed with AUD is still limited. Due to this shortage, an investigation of the effectiveness of gamified ABM treatments for AUD is deemed both timely and essential. Notably, most current ABM games for AUD have been created for desktop and laptop computers. Considering the extensive availability of mobile devices, providing such treatments through mobile devices will likely boost reach and user acceptance.

To meet these requirements, the current study created a gamified mobile ABM treatment to decrease attentional bias for alcohol cues in patients diagnosed with AUD. In the first phase, qualitative content analysis was gathered, and expert and patient feedback on the game was analyzed. The game was adjusted, and its final version was prepared according to this feedback.

The game's efficacy was tested in a tertiary care hospital in a northwestern province of Türkiye. Sixty subjects were enrolled-30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group. All the subjects were given standard medical therapy as prescribed by a physician. Besides, the intervention group was also asked to use the mobile game developed for altering alcohol-related attentional bias. They were told to play the game every other day for a month.

The participants filled out the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Dot-Probe Task as pre- and post-tests. Three months following the post-test, follow-up data were gathered through phone interviews. Statistical analysis through chi-square tests, independent samples t-tests, and linear mixed models will be used to assess intervention efficacy.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Being over the age of 18
• Ability to speak and understand Turkish
• Literacy (reading and writing)
• Ability to use a smartphone
• Having received a formal diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
• Receiving outpatient treatment and follow-up care for AUD
• Scoring 8 or higher on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)

Exclusion criteria

• Currently experiencing an active psychotic episode
• Currently in a manic or hypomanic episode
• Having a neurodevelopmental or neurocognitive disorder
• Exhibiting symptoms of delirium
• Being under the influence of alcohol or other substances to a degree that negatively affects cognitive functioning
• Having participated as a qualitative data contributor in the initial phase of the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

Control group

Active Comparator group

Description:

30 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Treatment:

Drug: Akamprosat or Naltrekson or combined medical treatment (Akamprosat and Naltrekson)

Mobile game group

Experimental group

Description:

30 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Treatment:

Other: Mobile game app

Drug: Akamprosat or Naltrekson or combined medical treatment (Akamprosat and Naltrekson)