Training Behavioral Control in Adolescents Using a Serious Game

Abstract Objective: Risk taking, such as heavy alcohol use, is commonplace among adolescents. Nevertheless, prolonged alcohol use at this age can lead to severe health problems. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate a serious game training (“The Fling”), aimed at increasing behavioral control in adolescents and thereby helping them to improve control over their alcohol use. The game training was compared to a game placebo and a nongame training version in a randomized controlled trial. Materials and Methods: A sample of 185 adolescents (mean age 14.9 years) in secondary education participated in the study. They performed four sessions of training, as well as a set of questionnaires and cognitive assessment tasks before and after the training. The basis for the training was the stop-signal paradigm, aimed at increasing behavioral control. Results: The game variants were shown to motivate adolescents beyond the level of the nongame version. Behavioral control improved significantly over time, b...