Design of a Novel Serious Game for the Detection and Measurement of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) suffer from recurring unwanted thoughts (called obsessions) that drive them to do certain actions repetitively (called compulsions). People with OCD feels stuck in a stressful cycle of obsessions and compulsions. There are two approaches to diagnosing and assessing people with OCD. The first one is conducted in the doctor’s office. The second one is conducted inside a special-purpose room that is typically setup in the hospital. This second environment is constructed using virtual and augmented reality. Both approaches are challenging with difficulties such as the high cost and stigma of therapy. Fortunately, there is a third approach that uses specialized computer games to achieve the same goals. This third approach has not been researched yet in the context of OCD detection and measurement. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a serious game that can provoke OCD and then measure the intensity of the resulting obsessions and compulsions. This new game is based on the concept of cognitive gameplay. As such, the interaction between the proposed game design elements leads to the emergence of different cognitive processes, such as attention, memory, and planning, which are essential in the study of OCD. The proposed game design elements have been reviewed and approved by two psychiatrists.