research-article

SemTh: an approach to the design of therapeutic digital games

Authors:

Paula Maia de Souza,

Kamila Rios da Hora Rodrigues,

Vânia Paula de Almeida NerisAuthors Info & Claims

IHC '19: Proceedings of the 18th Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Article No.: 45, Pages 1 - 11

https://doi.org/10.1145/3357155.3358440

Published: 22 October 2019 Publication History

Abstract

Therapeutic digital games are able to conceal therapeutic tasks behind a fantasy world, and thus increase patient motivation and adherence to therapies. The design of this category of games differs from others since it requires an understanding of the domain of therapy that has to be addressed, as well as the necessary knowledge of game development. Research in the literature has highlighted that there is a lack of a formal approach that can allow a multidisciplinary team to be involved in the design of this category of games. This paper adopts a semio-participatory approach to the design of therapeutic digital games, which includes a multidisciplinary team and supports the different profiles of professionals who take part in the whole design process. The approach, called SemTh, was based on a) data from the literature, b) reports of the experiences of professionals who have designed therapeutic games and c) an evaluation of researchers in the areas of computation and health. SemTh was used to devise a therapeutic game for children diagnosed with cancer. The approach was evaluated by the professionals involved in the process of game construction and obtained positive results, mainly with regard to understanding the domain, the needs of the target users and the therapeutic aspects of the game.

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Cited By

Verhalen ARodrigues K(2024)The use of serious digital games to talk about grief and finitude with children: reports on the design and evaluation process of two gamesJournal on Interactive Systems10.5753/jis.2024.410115:1(926-941)Online publication date: 20-Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.5753/jis.2024.4101
de Souza PSantos VAlves BProença FMotti VRodrigues KNeris V(2024)Case Study: End users in recovery from substance use disorders as designers and developers of digital games with therapeutic potentialExtended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613905.3637114(1-6)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613905.3637114
Verhalen ASilva TRodrigues K(2023)Once upon a time... you! A game to support health professionals in the treatment of children with chronic diseases, helping them to express their feelingsProceedings of the XXII Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3638067.3638129(1-10)Online publication date: 16-Oct-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3638067.3638129
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Index Terms

SemTh: an approach to the design of therapeutic digital games
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
  2. Interaction design
    1. Interaction design process and methods
      1. Participatory design

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cover image ACM Other conferences

IHC '19: Proceedings of the 18th Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems

October 2019

679 pages

ISBN:9781450369718

DOI:10.1145/3357155

General Chairs:
Rodrigo Laiola Guimaraes
Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo (UFES)
,
Celso Alberto Saibel Santos
Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo (UFES)
,
Program Chairs:
Vagner Figueredo de Santana
IBM Research
,
Artur Kronbauer
Universidade Salvador (UNIFACS)

Copyright © 2019 ACM.

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SBC: Brazilian Computer Society

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New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 22 October 2019

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IHC '19

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SBC

IHC '19: XVIII Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems

October 22 - 25, 2019

Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil

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IHC '19 Paper Acceptance Rate 56 of 165 submissions, 34%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 331 of 973 submissions, 34%

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Cited By

Verhalen ARodrigues K(2024)The use of serious digital games to talk about grief and finitude with children: reports on the design and evaluation process of two gamesJournal on Interactive Systems10.5753/jis.2024.410115:1(926-941)Online publication date: 20-Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.5753/jis.2024.4101
de Souza PSantos VAlves BProença FMotti VRodrigues KNeris V(2024)Case Study: End users in recovery from substance use disorders as designers and developers of digital games with therapeutic potentialExtended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613905.3637114(1-6)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613905.3637114
Verhalen ASilva TRodrigues K(2023)Once upon a time... you! A game to support health professionals in the treatment of children with chronic diseases, helping them to express their feelingsProceedings of the XXII Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3638067.3638129(1-10)Online publication date: 16-Oct-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3638067.3638129
Verhalen ARodrigues K(2023)Design of Therapeutic Digital Games that Support Dialogue with Children about DeathProceedings of the XXII Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3638067.3638112(1-8)Online publication date: 16-Oct-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3638067.3638112
da Hora Rodrigues KElias Cardoso Verhalen AWillian da Silva JMarino Silva TGeurgas Zavarizz Rde Almeida Neris VMaia de Souza P(2023)Design and Evaluation of an Authoring Platform for Therapeutic Digital GamesInteracting with Computers10.1093/iwc/iwac04535:2(118-141)Online publication date: 11-Jan-2023
https://doi.org/10.1093/iwc/iwac045
Verhalen AZavarizz RSilva JSilva TNunes Cde Gois Ribeiro Darin TRodrigues KSantos CBento Villela MRios da Hora Rodrigues Kde Gois Ribeiro Darin T(2022)Telling your own storyProceedings of the 21st Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3554364.3561610(1-7)Online publication date: 17-Oct-2022
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da Hora Rodrigues Kde Gois Ribeiro Darin Tde Almeida Neris V(2022)Building your own games: A platform for authoring digital games2022 21st Brazilian Symposium on Computer Games and Digital Entertainment (SBGames)10.1109/SBGAMES56371.2022.9961073(1-6)Online publication date: 24-Oct-2022
https://doi.org/10.1109/SBGAMES56371.2022.9961073
Rodrigues KNeris VSouza PZavarizz Rda Silva JSilva TVerhalen A(2021)Rufus - Uma Plataforma de Autoria para Jogos Digitais TerapêuticosProceedings of the X Latin American Conference on Human Computer Interaction10.1145/3488392.3488407(1-5)Online publication date: 22-Nov-2021
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Verhalen APereira VBim Sde Mello de Picoli RMaciel Cda Hora Rodrigues KMonteiro Ida Hora Rodrigues Kde Gois Ribeiro Darin TFreire AMota M(2021)Jungle party: a game about loss and griefProceedings of the XX Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3472301.3484364(1-7)Online publication date: 18-Oct-2021
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de Souza Pde Almeida Neris VProença FGarcia FMonteiro Ida Hora Rodrigues Kde Gois Ribeiro Darin TFreire AMota M(2021)Creation of Personas by End-Users in Alcohol and Drugs Abuse RehabilitationProceedings of the XX Brazilian Symposium on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3472301.3484321(1-11)Online publication date: 18-Oct-2021
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