Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) and serious gaming interventions have been suggested to enhance accessibility to interventions and engagement in psychological interventions that aim to promote health outcomes. In a study related to this project online psychological training was combined with a serious game. Thirty subjects received this training and thirty other subjects did not, after which all sixty participants received a vaccination and also a number of stress tasks. This study showed that the immune system of the trained subjects reacted differently to the vaccination than that of the subjects without training. Also, in a different study it was shown that after the serious game the subjects showed a healthier dietary preference when completing a questionnaire, only it did not yet result in healthier behavior.
The serious game developed for this project is entitled ViaNova© . It helps people (with or without a somatic condition) to optimise their health. It is complementary to an online supported training and is based on evidence-based cognitive behavioural methods. ViaNova© is developed by Leiden University, Health Medical and Neuropsychology Unit in collaboration with Delft University of Technology (IT specialists: C. Eckhardt, R.A.D. de Hoog, S.Y. van den Oever, S. de Wit, B.G. Lalleman, J.M. Raes and O. Ulusoy. Graphic designers: P. van Dijk, J. de Hoog, and W. Treurniet. Serious game advisor: R. Bidarra).
Publications:
Schakel, L., Veldhuijzen, D. S., van Middendorp, H., Prins, C., Drittij, A. M., Vrieling, F., Visser L.G, Ottenhoff T.H.M., Joosten S.A. & Evers, A. W. (2020). An Internet-Based Psychological Intervention With a Serious Game to Improve Vitality, Psychological and Physical Condition, and Immune Function in Healthy Male Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of medical Internet research, 22(7), e14861.
Schakel, L., Veldhuijzen, D.S., Van Middendorp, H., Van Dessel, P., De Houwer, J., Bidarra, R., & Evers, A.W.M. (2018). The effects of a gamified approach avoidance training and verbal suggestions on food outcomes. PLoS ONE, 13(7):e0201309.
