Chen Yuqi, Huang Xiaolong, Luo Wei, Liu Haiyan, Gao Yaqin, Wang Muyao, Zhang Yan, Liu Jingjing, Zhong Changyan, Xiao Aixiang, Chen Yu
School of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
The Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Aug 5;25(1):762. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-07195-3.
The prevalence of depression among adolescents has been steadily increasing in recent years. Exergames hold the potential to provide a positive entertainment experience, yet their utilization among adolescents with depression remains limited. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and requirements regarding exergames in adolescents with depression, with the goal of designing tailored exergame intervention programs for clinical applications.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents with depression (n = 33) at a tertiary psychiatric hospital from September to November 2024. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method to ensure a rigorous and systematic qualitative analysis. The study adhered to the COREQ checklist when reporting qualitative research.
The perceptions and requirements of adolescents with depression regarding exergames were categorized into three themes and seven sub-themes: (1) characteristics of physical activity (lack of exercise motivation and low levels of physical activity); (2) willingness to use exergames (a preference for exergames over traditional exercise, a desire to alleviate depressive symptoms through exergaming and a tendency to engage in exergames collaboratively rather than individually); (3) expectations for exergames (emphasizing the need for safety and tangible benefits from exergames participation).
While exergames are widely utilized among adolescents, their application in adolescents with depression remains under-explored. This study indicates that adolescents with depression have a positive attitude towards exergames and perceive them as potential interventions to increase physical activity and alleviate depressive symptoms.
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2400090678. Registered on 11th October 2024.
近年来，青少年抑郁症的患病率一直在稳步上升。运动游戏有潜力提供积极的娱乐体验，但其在抑郁症青少年中的应用仍然有限。本研究旨在调查抑郁症青少年对运动游戏的看法和需求，目标是设计适合临床应用的定制运动游戏干预方案。
2024年9月至11月，在一家三级精神病医院对抑郁症青少年（n = 33）进行了半结构化访谈。使用Colaizzi七步法分析数据，以确保进行严格且系统的定性分析。本研究在报告定性研究时遵循了COREQ清单。
抑郁症青少年对运动游戏的看法和需求分为三个主题和七个子主题：（1）身体活动特征（缺乏运动动机和身体活动水平低）；（2）使用运动游戏的意愿（比起传统运动更喜欢运动游戏，希望通过运动游戏缓解抑郁症状，倾向于合作而非单独进行运动游戏）；（3）对运动游戏的期望（强调运动游戏参与的安全性和实际益处的必要性）。
虽然运动游戏在青少年中广泛使用，但其在抑郁症青少年中的应用仍有待探索。本研究表明，抑郁症青少年对运动游戏持积极态度，并将其视为增加身体活动和缓解抑郁症状的潜在干预措施。
中国临床试验注册中心，ChiCTR2400090678。于2024年10月11日注册。
