A videogame intervention for tobacco product use prevention in adolescents

Publication date: Available online 14 November 2018

Source: Addictive Behaviors

Author(s): Mary Ann Pentz, Kimberly D. Hieftje, Tyra M. Pendergrass, Stephanie A. Brito, Mengyu Liu, Trisha Arora, Hilary A. Tindle, Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, Lynn E. Fiellin

Abstract

Purpose

This pilot study evaluated the short-term effects of an interactive videogame on changing adolescent knowledge, beliefs and risk perceptions, and intentions to use e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and other tobacco products. A secondary aim was to evaluate players' game experience.

Methods

Participants (N = 80 11–14 year olds) were recruited from 7 community-based afterschool programs in Los Angeles, California and New Haven, Connecticut. The design was a single group pre-post design with replication. A pre-test survey was administered that included demographic variables and knowledge, risk perceptions, beliefs, and intentions to use e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and other tobacco products. An interactive videogame focusing on risky tobacco use situations was subsequently played in four 60-min sessions over a four-week period, followed by a post-test survey. Analyses included paired t-tests of pre-post videogame change, regression analyses, and path analyses testing mediational effects of beliefs and risk perceptions on the relationship between knowledge and intentions.

Results

The videogame changed knowledge of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products (p's < 0.001), risk perceptions of cigarettes and e-cigarettes (p < .01 and p < .001, respectively), and beliefs about e-cigarettes and other tobacco products (p's < 0.05), but not intentions Older adolescents reported greater e-cigarette knowledge and risk perceptions (p's < 0.05), and females reported greater risk perception of cigarettes (p < .05). Beliefs mediated the relationship between knowledge and intentions to use e-cigarettes (indirect effect p < .05).

Conclusion

Results suggest that brief exposure (4 h over 4 weeks) to videogames focused on changing knowledge and attitudes towards tobacco products may have a promising effect on preventing risk for early adolescent tobacco product use, particularly for e-cigarettes.

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