title: Improving Children's Mental Health with a Digital Social Skills Development Game: A Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial of Adventures aboard the S.S. GRIN.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a computer-based game to improve social skills and mental health in children with social skills deficits would be efficacious. The program, Adventures aboard the S.S. GRIN, translates a proven in-person intervention into a nine-episode interactive online adventure game that provides opportunity for knowledge acquisition and skill practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (children aged 7-11 years with social skills challenges) were randomly assigned to immediate treatment group (n = 33) or waitlist control group (n = 36). Children in the immediate treatment condition completed the game at home over the course of 9 weeks. Before playing the game and again within 1 week of game completion, children completed surveys about social literacy, social anxiety, bullying, social self-efficacy, and social satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children who played Adventures improved significantly more from pretest to posttest than children who did not play the game in social literacy, social anxiety, bullying victimization, and social satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online interactive games can be effective in improving mental health for children who struggle with social skills. For children who can access them, serious games have the potential to increase the reach of effective programs by overcoming the logistical and implementation barriers (such as cost, travel, and accessibility) that limit traditionally delivered mental health interventions.
authors.affiliation: 3C Institute , Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: 3C Institute , Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: 3C Institute , Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.affiliation: 3C Institute , Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DeRosier
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D058445:Bullying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D000068957:Games, Recreational / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D000067010:Literacy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D066107:Social Skills; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Intervention; Mental health; Serious games; Social skills