| Popis: |
BACKGROUND Emotion regulation (ER) skill-building is important to child development and behavioral health. Evidence-based digital emotion regulation learning tools are available for in-home use, including single-player game-based interventions. Parent-child interactive interventions also have demonstrated effectiveness in child emotion regulation learning. OBJECTIVE The current study examines the effects of an evidence-based single-player emotion regulation skill building biofeedback video game on child irritability and parent-child relationship, when used alone and with adjunctive parent-child structured play. METHODS Forty-one parent-child dyads participated in a randomized controlled trial comparing a group of child participants who played only online ER learning biofeedback video games to a group of child participants who played online ER learning biofeedback video games and additionally, with a participating parent, played interactive offline games with ER learning biofeedback elements. RESULTS We found that playing online ER learning biofeedback video games resulted in statistically significant reductions in irritability and child-parent conflict for child and parent study participants, regardless of group assignment. Over 90% of parents reported improvements in their child’s overall emotion regulation. CONCLUSIONS This study contributes to evidence that at-home digital mental health interventions can be effective. Further study is needed to explore factors contributing to parent-child emotional and relational dynamics and to develop effective evidence-based parent-child interactive interventions for at-home use. CLINICALTRIAL Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05080647 |
