Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41088013›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2025

Efficacy of a video game for promoting active and healthy aging (Initial Version): a randomized controlled trial.

Vanessa Blanco, Patricia Otero, Tania Cotardo, Queila Bouza, Ángela J Torres, Fernando L Vázquez

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03643237 (Gaming Applied to the Promotion of Active Aging), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03643237 nacompletednot on this map

Gaming Applied to the Promotion of Active Aging

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Santiago de CompostelaRan2018 to 2019Enrolled180ConditionsAging, Aging ProblemsArmsVideo game-based intervention, Control group
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Vanessa BlancoDepartment of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Xosé María Suárez Núñez, S/N (Campus Vida), 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. vanessa.blanco@usc.es.
Patricia OteroDepartment of Psychology, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
Tania CotardoDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Queila BouzaDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Ángela J TorresDepartment of Psychiatry, Radiology, Public Health, Nursing and Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Fernando L VázquezDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Funding

Center for Industrial Technological Development of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and European Regional Development Fund Project EXP 00091195/ITC 20161137
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPopulation aging presents challenges for physical, mental, and social health. Serious video games have emerged as promising tools to promote active aging; however, evidence regarding their efficacy remains limited. No prior studies have integrated mood-related aspects, cognitive stimulation, and healthy lifestyle habits into a single intervention. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral program for promoting holistic active aging, delivered through a video game.

methodsA total of 98 participants aged 45 and older were randomly assigned to either a cognitive-behavioral intervention group delivered through a video game (n = 44) or an online information control group (n = 54). The intervention group received eight 70-min weekly modules. The control group accessed active aging-related information via a smartphone app with a similar structure and duration. Data were collected pre- and post-intervention by blinded evaluators and through the online platform, assessing health status (general health, bodily pain, physical function, physical role, vitality, social function, emotional role, mental health, physical health factor, and mental health factor), emotional well-being, self-reported memory (satisfaction, ability, and strategies), dietary habits, physical activity, and sleep hygiene behaviors.

resultsIn the intervention group, significant pre-post differences were found in general health (p = .006), mental health (p = .006), mental health factor (p = .047), emotional well-being (p = .006), satisfaction with memory function (p = .013), frequency of mnemonic strategy use (p = .046), total self-reported memory score (p = .042), physical activity (p = .003), and sleep hygiene (p = .030). Moreover, post-intervention analyses revealed significant improvements in general health (p = .005), bodily pain (p = .016), vitality (p = .002), social function (p = .010), physical health factor (p = .045), frequency of mnemonic strategy use (p = .035), and sleep hygiene (p = .004) in the intervention group compared to the control.

conclusionsFindings support the efficacy of the cognitive-behavioral intervention delivered through an innovative interactive video game as an effective tool for fostering active and healthy aging. This approach not only demonstrates a positive impact on participants' well-being but also highlights the potential of technology in promoting health and well-being from midlife onward.

trial registrationCode NCT03643237 (Registration date 08/05/2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03643237 ).

Indexed as

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyHealth PromotionHealthy AgingVideo GamesAgedExerciseFemaleHealth StatusHumansMaleMiddle AgedActive agingAdults over 45Cognitive-behavioral interventionRandomized controlled trialVideo game

Identifiers

PMID41088013
PMCPMC12522274

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.