Game features made training more engaging, but did not clearly make it work better

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   Nine trials with 530 people were pooled for the skill tests. They included children with ADHD, school pupils, teenagers, university students and people on the schizophrenia spectrum.

2. 02

   What they did

   Each game group trained on a task with several game extras added. The other groups did the same task with fewer or no extras.

3. 03

   What happened

   The game versions made people more motivated and engaged (8 trials, 514 people). They did not clearly change the skill tests (9 trials). The game versions also felt harder, and clinical measures did not clearly change (4 trials).

What the review found

1. HelpedMotivation

   Across 8 studies, game features made people more motivated and engaged.

   • Rule: Make it enjoyabletested
   • Action: Train attention and memory with exercisesused

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies with 514 people · vs the same training with fewer game features · they rated themselves · ⚠ most studies had serious flaws; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

2. No differenceOther outcomes

   Across 9 studies, adding game features did not clearly improve scores on the skill being trained.

   • Rule: Make it enjoyabletested
   • Action: Train attention and memory with exercisesused

   Pooled analysis of 9 studies with 530 people · vs the same training with fewer game features · ⚠ most studies had serious flaws; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

Source