Positive Feedback vs. No-Feedback Games for Behavioral Change

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

171 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-02-13

Study Completion Date

2024-03-02

Brief Summary

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We aim to investigate here whether we can develop a reinforcement learning game which provides game-based feedback to encourage positive actions (behaviors) both inside and outside of the game. Does providing positive reward when participants make decisions which are associated with value-based actions (like those in BA) result in different game decisions? We propose that it will increase positive actions in the game. And, secondly, how does it affect short-term behavior (in one week)? We propose that it will increase pro-health activities and may reduce depressive symptoms.

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Detailed Description

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We know that behavior influences mood -- our best interventions to improve mood rely upon the relationship between these. Treatments like this are thought to work in part by helping individuals to increase value-derived behaviors; participants are given guidance which results in an increase of positive behaviors and a decrease of coping behaviors that don't help -- that is, their health-seeking behavior is reinforced while behaviors that diminish health are reduced. In past work, we showed that a text-based game could be used to explore what sort of decisions people would make in certain environments. That game showed associations between in-game behaviors and real-life depressive symptoms and actions. Such work focuses on low-level symptoms of depression -- increasingly common, especially after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic. We aim to investigate here whether we can develop a reinforcement learning game which provides game-based feedback to encourage positive actions (behaviors) both inside and outside of the game.

Thus, the experiment described below and proposed in this application would test the role of positive rewards (positive-feedback) in a dichotomous-choice game, compared to neutral (no-feedback).

Conditions

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Major Depressive Disorder Low Mood

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants are either assigned to a control (no intervention) condition or to one where they receive positive feedback and are encouraged to specific, positive behavior.

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

The intervention occurs entirely online. All assessment occurs via survey software. Participants do not interact with other participants and are not fully informed of the nature of the intervention and thus do not know if they are in an active condition.

Study Groups

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positive feedback

Participants receive positive feedback and reward for their decisions taken during a small game similar to a normal person's life. For example, they are encouraged to exercise, make food, and interact with friends.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

positive feedback

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The positive feedback game uses techniques relating to established therapies like Behavioral Activation and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy's valued living to encourage positive action in game and outside of the game.

no feedback

Participants receive no feedback. While they may undertake the same decisions during a small game similar to a normal person's life, they receive no encouragement and are not given reward or positive feedback.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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positive feedback

The positive feedback game uses techniques relating to established therapies like Behavioral Activation and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy's valued living to encourage positive action in game and outside of the game.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL