-
Games For Health Journal Feb 2016Serious games are becoming popular in various healthcare domains. However, they should be designed to cater toward learners' perspectives, needs, and specifications in...
OBJECTIVE
Serious games are becoming popular in various healthcare domains. However, they should be designed to cater toward learners' perspectives, needs, and specifications in order to be used to their full potential in education. This study investigated the gaming experiences, motivations, and preferences of pharmacy students.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An anonymous self-administered survey obtained participant demographics, gaming experiences (enjoyment level of different game genres, years of experience, gaming frequency and duration, and motivations), and gaming preferences (on in-game rewards, settings, storylines, perspectives, and styles). Descriptive statistics, t tests, analysis of variance, chi-squared tests, and Fisher's exact tests were used for analysis.
RESULTS
The response rate was 69.1 percent (465/673 undergraduates). Role-playing games (RPGs) (4.12 ± 1.07) and massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs) (3.81 ± 1.26) had the highest enjoyment ratings. Males enjoyed imagination games (e.g., RPGs, MMORPGs) more than females, whereas females enjoyed simulation games more. Top motivating factors for respondents were progressing to the next level (3.63 ± 1.19), excitement (3.33 ± 1.33), and a feeling of efficacy when playing (3.02 ± 1.16). Unlocking mechanisms (25.2 percent) and experience points (17.6 percent) were the most popular in-game reward systems. Most respondents preferred a fantasy/medieval/mythic setting (59.8 percent) and an adventurer storyline (41.3 percent), with similar proportions preferring competitive (35.3 percent), cooperative (33.3 percent), and collaborative (30.8 percent) game styles.
CONCLUSIONS
Different groups of pharmacy students differ in their gaming experiences, motivating factors, and preferences. There is no "one size fits all" game that is suitable for all pharmacy education. Such differences should be considered when developing a pharmacy game in order to cater to the diverse student population.
Topics: Adult; Age Factors; China; Demography; Female; Humans; Male; Motivation; Pleasure; Recreation; Religion and Psychology; Reward; Role Playing; Sex Factors; Students, Pharmacy; Video Games; Young Adult
PubMed: 26795233
DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2015.0028 -
Acta Psychologica Oct 2022This article proposes a framework to characterize joint action in digital spaces. "Digital joint action" maintains many known elements from physical, real-world joint...
This article proposes a framework to characterize joint action in digital spaces. "Digital joint action" maintains many known elements from physical, real-world joint action including representations relating to joint goals and individual subgoals, processes such as predicting and monitoring own and others' actions, and supporting coordination through signaling and direct communication. In contrast to social interaction in the real world, joint action performed online comes with a unique additional feature: Digital joint action is mediated through (more or less vividly visualized) avatars that are controlled by the individual users but also imply particular personas that come with their own skills and acting abilities. This makes digital joint action a highly interesting research field as it allows to investigate the cognitive principles of joint action that lie outside of the constraints of human physicality but are nevertheless embodied (i.e., in a virtual body). The aim of this article is two-fold: First, we introduce digital joint action as joint action between avatars in a digital environment, and we specify commonalities and differences between joint actions in the real world and in digital spaces to provide a framework for further research. Second, using a survey study among users of the popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Final Fantasy XIV, we provide empirical validation for our approach.
Topics: Humans; Video Games; Social Interaction; Role Playing; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 36215803
DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103758 -
Social Work With Groups 2021Blacks/African Americans have the most severe and disproportionate burden of HIV of all racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Oppression (i.e., socio-structural...
Blacks/African Americans have the most severe and disproportionate burden of HIV of all racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Oppression (i.e., socio-structural (macro), institutional (exo), community (meso), and interpersonal (micro)), operates as four interrelated prongs that perpetuate the HIV epidemic in Black/ African American communities. Oppressive (i.e., racist and sexist) cultural scripts transferred to individuals through community, family and interpersonal relationships may play a role in HIV/STI risk. However, socio-behavioral health interventions or behavioral risk reduction interventions have traditionally focused solely on individual-level health risk behaviors allowing invisible, inequitable socio-structural factors to continue unchallenged. A new intervention, was sculpted from two existing interventions and (MAALES) to develop awareness of oppressive cultural scripts operating on interpersonal and intrapersonal levels and to take action against these oppressive messages to reclaim identity, restore relationships, and build community. This paper summarizes the theory and selected sociodramatic components of the intervention that promote healing in action to reduce HIV/STI risk among heterosexually identified, low-income African American men and women with multiple sex partners. Lessons learned in theory, research and practice are also discussed.
PubMed: 34483402
DOI: 10.1080/01609513.2020.1757923 -
The Psychiatric Quarterly Sep 2015The literature has seen a surge in research on the mental health impacts of technologies such as Facebook, video games, and massively-multiplayer online role-playing...
The literature has seen a surge in research on the mental health impacts of technologies such as Facebook, video games, and massively-multiplayer online role-playing games such as World of Warcraft, but little is known regarding the mental health impact of non-video role-playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons. The present study examines how psychiatrists' perceive role-playing games and whether they play them. Psychiatrists at a tertiary care centre in Canada completed a questionnaire assessing history of playing role-playing games and whether they associate them with psychopathology. Forty-eight psychiatrists responded. Twenty-three percent have played a role-playing game over their lifetimes. Twenty-two percent believed there was an association between psychopathology and role-playing games. A majority of psychiatrists who responded do not associate role-playing games with psychopathology. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Attitude of Health Personnel; Female; Humans; Internet; Male; Mental Disorders; Middle Aged; Psychiatry; Role Playing; Video Games
PubMed: 25589035
DOI: 10.1007/s11126-015-9339-5 -
Family Process Mar 2020Scene-Based Psychodramatic Family Therapy (SB-PFT) is an innovative treatment used with troubled adolescents and their parents to improve family relationships and reduce...
Scene-Based Psychodramatic Family Therapy (SB-PFT) is an innovative treatment used with troubled adolescents and their parents to improve family relationships and reduce adolescents' problematic behavior. It integrates the principles of family therapy, psychodrama, and multiple-family group methodology. This research is a pilot study to obtain empirical evidence on the SB-PFT therapeutic process by gauging the perception of change of troubled adolescents and their parents, and assess the perceived helpfulness of its methodology and techniques. Ten multiple-family intervention groups were drawn up, with 110 participants (63 adolescents and 47 parents), and we adopted a qualitative methodology with focus groups, using an inductive analysis of 290 active constructions of participant narratives. Concerning perception of change, the adolescents reported mainly gaining in social support, prosocial attitudes, keys to problem solving, and expression of emotions due to the treatment. The parents perceived improvement in social support, keys for educational practices, emotional well-being, and expression of emotions due to the treatment. Regarding the perceived helpfulness of methodology and techniques, both adolescents and parents highlighted the usefulness of the group methodology for gaining social support, relativizing the problem, and expressing emotions. Additionally, participants referred to role-playing and mirror techniques as the most useful techniques. In conclusion, this first study on SB-PFT presents and describes its treatment for troubled adolescents and their parents. The participants' positive perception of their personal and relational change after treatment should serve to promote further studies with quantitative methodology in order to verify the effectiveness of SB-PFT treatment.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adult; Family Relations; Family Therapy; Female; Focus Groups; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parents; Pilot Projects; Problem Behavior; Psychodrama; Qualitative Research; Transtheoretical Model; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30339277
DOI: 10.1111/famp.12401 -
Teaching and Learning in Medicine 2019: The practice of medicine is intrinsically unpredictable. Clinicians must respond skillfully to this uncertainty; therefore, medical educators are using improvisational...
: The practice of medicine is intrinsically unpredictable. Clinicians must respond skillfully to this uncertainty; therefore, medical educators are using improvisational theater training methods to teach improvisational ability in areas such as communication and professionalism. This teaching approach is called "medical improv." Although early reports of medical improv suggest promise, the collective descriptions of curricular content lack consistency. This ambiguity creates impediments for further implementation and research of this new educational technique. To address this challenge, the author presents two unifying conceptual frameworks for medical improv curricula. : Medical improv evolved from previous work done in improvisational (improv) theater and "applied improv," which is the broader category of improv-based training in nontheater environments. The author synthesized curricular elements from all three fields of improv into two conceptual frameworks: core curricular components (skills, principles, and exercises) and core skill groups (attunement, affirmation, and advancement). The curricular component framework simplifies terminology and clarifies a previously vague distinction between skills and principles. The skill group framework harnesses a redundant and wide-ranging list of improv skills into three categories. Together, the frameworks provide a simple structure that encompasses and organizes the core concepts of medical improv. : These curricular frameworks enable educators and learners to more easily understand the scope and depth of medical improv concepts and to identify areas where medical improv could enhance existing medical education strategies. For example, there is substantial overlap between improvisation skills and current curricular objectives for communication skills, as outlined by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education benchmarks (e.g., Milestones, Competencies, Entrustable Professional Activities). Medical improv courses could be an efficient way to achieve many of these objectives. In addition, improv-based exercises represent an experiential learning modality that is underutilized in communication skills training; therefore, exercises could be integrated into existing coursework to bridge the learning pathway between texts and simulation. Furthermore, the deliberate cultivation of affirmation skills could enhance resilience and wellness in clinical and learning environments. In summary, through their conceptual simplicity, these curricular frameworks for medical improv can help educators understand, study, and optimize teaching of improvisation in medical education.
Topics: Clinical Competence; Curriculum; Drama; Education, Medical, Graduate; Humans; Role Playing; Teaching
PubMed: 30596300
DOI: 10.1080/10401334.2018.1537880 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022Drama therapy is applied to children and adolescents with psychosocial problems. Drama therapy is an experimental form of treatment which methodologically uses drama and... (Review)
Review
Drama therapy is applied to children and adolescents with psychosocial problems. Drama therapy is an experimental form of treatment which methodologically uses drama and theatre processes to achieve psychological growth. Although in clinical practice, drama therapy has been applied successfully, little is known about how and why drama therapy contributes to a decrease in psychosocial problems. A systematic narrative review was performed to obtain more insight into this issue. Eight databases were systematically searched. Ten out of 3742 studies were included, of which there were four random controlled trails, three non-controlled trials, and three pre-and post-test design studies. We identified the results, drama therapeutic means, attitude, and mechanism of change. Positive effects were found on overall psychosocial problems, internalizing and externalizing problems, social functioning, coping and regulation processes, social identity, and cognitive development. An adaptive approach was mentioned as the therapeutic attitude. The means established contribute to a dramatic reality, which triggers the mechanisms of change. These are processes that arise during treatment and which facilitate therapeutic change. We found ten supposed mechanisms of change to be frequently used in all studies. No direct relations were found between the results, drama therapeutic attitude, means, and mechanisms of change.
PubMed: 36138667
DOI: 10.3390/children9091358 -
PsyCh Journal Dec 2018This pilot study investigated the effects of psychodrama on the counseling skills (mainly empathy) and on increasing the self-awareness of 23 counseling undergraduate...
This pilot study investigated the effects of psychodrama on the counseling skills (mainly empathy) and on increasing the self-awareness of 23 counseling undergraduate students. Participants attended 12 psychodrama sessions over 3 months. Data were gathered by using the Empathic Tendency Scale and a personal information form. The study used the mixed method research design, which combines qualitative and quantitative methods. The quantitative aspect of the study involved the use of pretest-posttest experimental and control group design with random assignment, while the qualitative aspect utilized the methods of case study, observation, and interview. The quantitative and qualitative results showed that psychodrama increased students' empathy, counseling skills, and self-awareness.
Topics: Adult; Awareness; Counseling; Empathy; Female; Humans; Male; Pilot Projects; Psychodrama; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 30165728
DOI: 10.1002/pchj.228 -
Health Education & Behavior : the... Feb 2019Stigma and discrimination affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people compromise health and human rights and exacerbate the HIV epidemic. Scant...
Exploring the Potential of Participatory Theatre to Reduce Stigma and Promote Health Equity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) People in Swaziland and Lesotho.
Stigma and discrimination affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people compromise health and human rights and exacerbate the HIV epidemic. Scant research has explored effective LGBT stigma reduction strategies in low- and middle-income countries. We developed and pilot-tested a participatory theatre intervention (PTI) to reduce LGBT stigma in Swaziland and Lesotho, countries with the world's highest HIV prevalence. We collected preliminary data from in-depth interviews with LGBT people in Lesotho and Swaziland to enhance understanding of LGBT stigma. Local LGBT and theatre groups worked with these data to create a 2-hour PTI composed of three skits on LGBT stigma in health care, family, and community settings in Swaziland (Manzini) and Lesotho (Maseru, Mapoteng). Participants ( n = 106; nursing students, health care providers, educators, community members) completed 12 focus groups following the PTI. We conducted thematic analysis to understand reactions to the PTI. Focus groups revealed the PTI increased understanding of LGBT persons and issues, increased empathy, and fostered self-reflection of personal biases. Increased understanding included enhanced awareness of the negative impacts of LGBT stigma, and of LGBT people's lived experiences and issues. Participants discussed changes in attitude and perspective through self-reflection and learning. The format of the theatre performance was described as conducive to learning and preferred over more conventional educational methods. Findings indicate changed attitudes and awareness toward LGBT persons and issues following a PTI in Swaziland and Lesotho. Stigma reduction interventions may help mitigate barriers to HIV prevention, treatment, and care in these settings with a high burden of HIV.
Topics: Adult; Awareness; Eswatini; Female; Focus Groups; HIV Infections; Health Equity; Health Personnel; Health Promotion; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Lesotho; Male; Psychodrama; Qualitative Research; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Social Stigma
PubMed: 29589481
DOI: 10.1177/1090198118760682 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2021Psychodrama is a therapeutic method in which the stage is used to enact and reenact life events with the aim of instilling, among other positive changes, hope and...
Psychodrama is a therapeutic method in which the stage is used to enact and reenact life events with the aim of instilling, among other positive changes, hope and empowerment in a wide range of populations suffering from psychological duress. The therapeutic process in psychodrama moves away from the classic treatment of the individual in isolation to treatment of the individual in the context of a group. In domestic violence situations, in which abusive men seek to socially isolate their victims from family and friends, the social support that psychodrama provides can positively influence the psychological health and well-being of the participants. This qualitative study examines the manner in which psychodramatic treatment can empower abused women residing in domestic violence shelters and help them regain control of their lives. An action research study of domestic violence survivors living in a women's shelter in Israel, over a 12-month period, demonstrates the role of psychodrama therapy in promoting the reduction of anxiety, stress, guilt, and self-blame, while reinforcing perceptions of self-worth and confidence. These findings contribute to our understanding of the potential of psychodrama in helping reshape life roles and reframe experiences within a creative process, with the aim of facilitating a transition from powerlessness to powerfulness among vulnerable populations.
PubMed: 33868079
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.600335