Guided Feedback in an Online Game Impacts Decision Making

Understanding Decision Making Using a Text-based Game

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT05925816

Enrollment

350

Registered

2023-06-29

Start date

2022-02-02

Completion date

2022-05-04

Last updated

2026-06-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depressive Symptoms

Keywords

depressive symptoms

Brief summary

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of a text-based game as a way to understand decision making and knowledge related to anxiety, stress, and mood states like depression or loneliness. The investigators are interested in identifying whether participants who are given feedback before and during the game will report changes in behavior or depressive symptoms over the course of a one-week period. This is a follow-up to the published study from the researchers.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALVideo

Video uses BA techniques for approximately 5 minutes

BEHAVIORALActive game

Game provides positive feedback in response to decisions made by participants

BEHAVIORALNeutral game

Game without feedback

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

FACTORIAL

Primary purpose

OTHER

Masking

QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Brief interventions are conducted online and thus largely masked. All assessment is also conducted through an online survey.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* 18+ age * Eligible to participate in online research * Able to read and respond in English

Exclusion criteria

* None

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
patient health questionnaire (PHQ; 8 items)	baseline (T0) - before intervention	The PHQ measures depression; scores range from 0 to 24 with higher scores indicating more depression.
Behavior in study-specific game	Completed at baseline (T0)	For participants completing the game (neutral or active), behavior and choices made will be used as data for analyses. Game choices allow participants to decide what next activities they will "do" in the game. Analyses incorporate decision probabilities (which of 2-5 choices are selected) and compare them between conditions. The game is completed at baseline following assessment (and following video) for those assigned this arm only.

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7)	Baseline (T0) before intervention	7-item measure of generalized anxiety; scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating more anxiety.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 11, 2026