Using the Behaviour Change Wheel Program Planning Model to Design Games for Health: Development Study

Authors

Michael C Robertson
Tom Baranowski
Debbe Thompson
Karen M Basen-Engquist
Maria Chang Swartz
Elizabeth J Lyons

Publication Date

12-3-2021

Journal

JMIR Serious Games

DOI

10.2196/29964

PMID

34870604

PMCID

PMC8686484

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

12-3-2021

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Published Open-Access

yes

Keywords

physical activity, video games, eHealth, intervention, behavior and behavior mechanisms, psychological theory, serious games, gamification, older women, older adults, behavior change, behavioral interventions, mobile phone

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Games for health are a promising approach to health promotion. Their success depends on achieving both experiential (game) and instrumental (health) objectives. There is little to guide game for health (G4H) designers in integrating the science of behavior change with the art of game design.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to extend the Behaviour Change Wheel program planning model to develop Challenges for Healthy Aging: Leveraging Limits for Engaging Networked Game-Based Exercise (CHALLENGE), a G4H centered on increasing physical activity in insufficiently active older women.

METHODS: We present and apply the G4H Mechanics, Experiences, and Change (MECHA) process, which supplements the Behaviour Change Wheel program planning model. The additional steps are centered on identifying target G4H player experiences and corresponding game mechanics to help game designers integrate design elements and G4H objectives into behavioral interventions.

RESULTS: We identified a target behavior of increasing moderate-intensity walking among insufficiently active older women and key psychosocial determinants of this behavior from self-determination theory (eg, autonomy). We used MECHA to map these constructs to intervention functions (eg, persuasion) and G4H target player experiences (eg, captivation). Next, we identified behavior change techniques (eg, framing or reframing) and specific game mechanics (eg, transforming) to help realize intervention functions and elicit targeted player experiences.

CONCLUSIONS: MECHA can help researchers map specific linkages between distal intervention objectives and more proximal game design mechanics in games for health. This can facilitate G4H program planning, evaluation, and clearer scientific communication.

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