View in EDS

Executive Function and Behavior Improvement: An Eight Week Proof-of-Concept Study of the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Gamified Reward System for Children.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Executive Function and Behavior Improvement: An Eight Week Proof-of-Concept Study of the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Gamified Reward System for Children.
Authors: Raiker, Joseph, Bunarjo, Kevin, Eaves, Isaac, Brenner, Brad, Henry, Robert
Source: Journal of Child & Family Studies. Jul2026, Vol. 35 Issue 7, p1639-1653. 15p.
Subjects: Treatment of behavior disorders in children, Parents, Mobile apps, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Executive function, Parent-child relationships, Clinical trials, Scientific observation, Parent attitudes, Behavior, Descriptive statistics, Contingency management, Reward (Psychology), Psychological stress, Data analysis software, Gamification, Behavior therapy, Video games
Abstract: Provider shortages, lengthy waitlists, and a variety of other challenges associated with implementing traditional evidence-based strategies to reduce parent stress and improve childhood outcomes have resulted in the development of digital solutions intended to overcome many of these challenges. Unfortunately, provider uptake of many of these digital approaches remains low. The current study examines parent perceptions of usability, acceptability, and changes in children's behavior, executive functioning, and impairment following eight weeks of use of a digital contingency management system that overcomes limitations of past approaches and integrates a parent application with a child video game. Ninety children between the ages of six and 12 were enrolled in this proof-of-concept study. Parents were asked to use the digital application for eight weeks and complete the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale - Modified (DBD-Modified), Child Executive Function Inventory (CHEXI), and Impairment Rating Scale (IRS) every two weeks. Multilevel models (MLM) were used with repeated observations (Level-1) nested within individual parents (Level-2) to examine changes on these outcomes over time. Small to moderate magnitude improvements in behavior (Cohen's d = 0.57), executive functioning (Cohen's d = 0.50), and impairment (Cohen's d = 0.43) following eight weeks of use were observed. Additionally, most parents found the application easy to use (88.7%), would recommend it to a friend (90.4%) and perceived it as reducing stress (59.7%) and arguments with their child (72.6%). This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability, usability, and potential for benefits of a parent-child digital application leveraging gamification for youth with behavioral and executive functioning challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 195285698
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Executive Function and Behavior Improvement: An Eight Week Proof-of-Concept Study of the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Gamified Reward System for Children.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Raiker%2C+Joseph%22">Raiker, Joseph</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bunarjo%2C+Kevin%22">Bunarjo, Kevin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eaves%2C+Isaac%22">Eaves, Isaac</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brenner%2C+Brad%22">Brenner, Brad</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Henry%2C+Robert%22">Henry, Robert</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Child+%26+Family+Studies%22">Journal of Child & Family Studies</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 35 Issue 7, p1639-1653. 15p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+of+behavior+disorders+in+children%22">Treatment of behavior disorders in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parents%22">Parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mobile+apps%22">Mobile apps</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pearson+correlation+%28Statistics%29%22">Pearson correlation (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Executive+function%22">Executive function</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent-child+relationships%22">Parent-child relationships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+trials%22">Clinical trials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+observation%22">Scientific observation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+attitudes%22">Parent attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior%22">Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Contingency+management%22">Contingency management</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reward+%28Psychology%29%22">Reward (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+stress%22">Psychological stress</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gamification%22">Gamification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+therapy%22">Behavior therapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+games%22">Video games</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Provider shortages, lengthy waitlists, and a variety of other challenges associated with implementing traditional evidence-based strategies to reduce parent stress and improve childhood outcomes have resulted in the development of digital solutions intended to overcome many of these challenges. Unfortunately, provider uptake of many of these digital approaches remains low. The current study examines parent perceptions of usability, acceptability, and changes in children's behavior, executive functioning, and impairment following eight weeks of use of a digital contingency management system that overcomes limitations of past approaches and integrates a parent application with a child video game. Ninety children between the ages of six and 12 were enrolled in this proof-of-concept study. Parents were asked to use the digital application for eight weeks and complete the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale - Modified (DBD-Modified), Child Executive Function Inventory (CHEXI), and Impairment Rating Scale (IRS) every two weeks. Multilevel models (MLM) were used with repeated observations (Level-1) nested within individual parents (Level-2) to examine changes on these outcomes over time. Small to moderate magnitude improvements in behavior (Cohen's d = 0.57), executive functioning (Cohen's d = 0.50), and impairment (Cohen's d = 0.43) following eight weeks of use were observed. Additionally, most parents found the application easy to use (88.7%), would recommend it to a friend (90.4%) and perceived it as reducing stress (59.7%) and arguments with their child (72.6%). This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability, usability, and potential for benefits of a parent-child digital application leveraging gamification for youth with behavioral and executive functioning challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Child & Family Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=195285698
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10826-026-03312-2
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 1639
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Treatment of behavior disorders in children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mobile apps
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pearson correlation (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Executive function
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent-child relationships
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clinical trials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific observation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Contingency management
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reward (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological stress
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gamification
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Behavior therapy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Video games
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Executive Function and Behavior Improvement: An Eight Week Proof-of-Concept Study of the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Gamified Reward System for Children.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Raiker, Joseph
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Bunarjo, Kevin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Eaves, Isaac
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Brenner, Brad
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Henry, Robert
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 10621024
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 35
            – Type: issue
              Value: 7
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Child & Family Studies
              Type: main
ResultId 1