Video Game Play to Alleviate Adolescent Anxiety

Adolescence is a critical period for the onset and maintenance of anxiety disorders, which raises the importance of intervening early; one possibility of doing so is via digital interventions. At least two lines of research have been explored in the past years in this area. First, studies have tested the anxiolytic effects of casual video games, hypothesizing that, through the induction of flow, these games can effectively distract individuals from anxiety-related thoughts and feelings. Second, the bidirectional link between poor attentional control and higher anxiety has led to the design of novel interventions aiming to improve attentional control such as working memory training studies. Importantly, action video games, classified as a distinct gaming genre, have been shown to enhance attentional control. In this study, we aim to compare the effects of action video game play and casual game play to a no-training group, assessing their potential to alleviate anxiety when delivered entirely online. The goal of this three- arms randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the feasibility of a 6-week video game training intervention to reduce adolescent anxiety-related symptoms. We will also examine the efficacy of the proposed treatment when entirely deployed at adolescents' home.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adolescents aged 11-15 years 2. Elevated anxiety symptoms, defined as a total score of ≥15 on the 41-item parent-report version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). 3. Access to a computer (at least Windows 7 or Mac OSX) at home and a reliable internet connection Exclusion Criteria: 1. DSM diagnoses of Bipolar, Psychosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder, present or past. 2. Neurological injury (i.e. head injury) 3. Currently enrolled in another cognitive training intervention