A Gamified Approach to Adolescent Alcohol Prevention that Strengthens Social Skills and Personal Values

ABSTRACT The goal of this Phase I SBIR project is to develop and test the prototype of an online alcohol prevention game appropriate for 13-15 year olds. The game emphasizes the prevention of alcohol use and misuse as well as using other drugs and engaging in antisocial activities. While empirical studies confirm that there are numerous paths adolescents who use and misuse alcohol follow, there is strong empirical evidence that several psychosocial variables can play a key role in deterring the onset and progression of alcohol use. Among the key elements that prior research supports is strengthening perceptions that involvement with alcohol does not fit with a desired lifestyle. Research also supports a normative education approach that reinforces the belief that use among the peer group is not as common nor as acceptable as some might think. Further, teaching skills to form friendships with positive peers and eschew affiliating with high-risk peers also provides protection and reduces the risk of using alcohol and engaging in other illicit and antisocial behaviors. Classmates is designed to address these psychosocial risk and protective factors by engaging players in an experience that simulates the process of finding new friends and engaging in activities that either support or detract from pursuing one’s life’s goal and desired future. Players will select a future to pursue from among six possibilities, to be: creative, fit, popular, rich, talented, or smart. Each of 12 non-playing characters (NPCs) in the game will have a profile that matches one of the possible futures the player selects. Players will be rewarded when they form friendships with NPCs who share their desired future. Through the development of friendships, players will learn what activities are congruent with their life’s goal. NPCs will also be randomly assigned a level of behavioral and psychosocial risk. Higher risk NPCs will occasionally invite players to engage in antisocial or illicit activities, including alcohol and other forms of drug use. Game mechanics will challenge players to identify NPCs who can help them further their future aspirations. At the same time players will learn to identify and eventually avoid NPCs who will increase their risk of alcohol and other illicit and antisocial behaviors. Choosing among NPCs and activities will accommodate multiple game play strategies. Working with our partners, Filament Games and High Point University’s game design program, we will craft and test a prototypical version of the game. We will recruit 20 adolescents to provide feedback and guidance about game details. Pairs of interviewees will then meet online and discuss topics related to their lives and common social interactions. Transcriptions will allow us to create a natural language library that can be used as a resource for crafting NPCs’ dialog. A separate group of 20 adolescents will play the prototype, provide think aloud feedback, and rate playability of the game. The Phase I trial will result in both qualitative and quantitative outcomes that will demonstrate the feasibility of the game and the viability of a Phase II project.