Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial
BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, urban inhabitants faced significant challenges in maintaining connections with nature, adhering to nutritional guidelines, and managing mental well-being. ObjectiveRecognizing the urgent need for innovative approaches, this...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e51596 |
| _version_ | 1797348950473179136 |
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| author | Seulki Lee Chisung Yuh Yu-Bin Shin Heon-Jeong Lee Young-Mee Lee Jungsil Lee Chul-Hyun Cho |
| author_facet | Seulki Lee Chisung Yuh Yu-Bin Shin Heon-Jeong Lee Young-Mee Lee Jungsil Lee Chul-Hyun Cho |
| author_sort | Seulki Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, urban inhabitants faced significant challenges in maintaining connections with nature, adhering to nutritional guidelines, and managing mental well-being.
ObjectiveRecognizing the urgent need for innovative approaches, this study was designed to explore the potential benefits of a specific digital intervention, the rice-farming simulation game Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, for nature relatedness, nutritional behaviors, and psychological well-being.
MethodsA total of 66 adults without any prior major psychiatric disorders residing in an urban area were recruited for the study. They were randomly assigned to 2 groups through block randomization: the immediate intervention group (IIG; 34/66, 52%) and the waitlist group (32/66, 48%). Participants in the IIG were instructed to play the game for at least 4 days per week for 3 weeks, with each session lasting from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Assessments were performed at baseline, week 1, and week 3. The Nature Relatedness Scale (NR) and Nutrition Quotient Scale were used to evaluate nature relatedness and nutritional state, respectively. Furthermore, psychological state was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised, and Korean Resilience Quotient.
ResultsThis study’s results revealed significant time interactions between the IIG and waitlist group for both the total NR score (P=.001) and the score of the self subdomain of NR (P<.001), indicating an impact of the game on nature relatedness. No group×time interactions were found for the total Nutrition Quotient Scale and subdomain scores, although both groups showed increases from baseline. For psychological state, a significant group×time interaction was observed in the total WHOQOL-BREF score (P=.049), suggesting an impact of the game on quality of life. The psychological (P=.01), social (P=.003), and environmental (P=.04) subdomains of the WHOQOL-BREF showed only a significant time effect. Other psychological scales did not display any significant changes (all P>.05).
ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the rice-farming game intervention might have positive effects on nature relatedness, nature-friendly dietary behaviors, quality of life, anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationships, and resilience among urban adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of pronature games in confined urban environments provides valuable evidence of how digital technologies can be used to enhance urban residents’ affinity for nature and psychological well-being. This understanding can be extended in the future to other digital platforms, such as metaverses.
Trial RegistrationClinical Research Information Service (CRIS) KCT0007657; http://tinyurl.com/yck7zxp7 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:13:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0e83f291f3b34e2ba8df470f5cd027ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:13:33Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-0e83f291f3b34e2ba8df470f5cd027ad2024-01-22T15:45:33ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712024-01-0126e5159610.2196/51596Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled TrialSeulki Leehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7328-9998Chisung Yuhhttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-4936-414XYu-Bin Shinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7311-9438Heon-Jeong Leehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9560-2383Young-Mee Leehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4685-9465Jungsil Leehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5031-7557Chul-Hyun Chohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1663-9680 BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, urban inhabitants faced significant challenges in maintaining connections with nature, adhering to nutritional guidelines, and managing mental well-being. ObjectiveRecognizing the urgent need for innovative approaches, this study was designed to explore the potential benefits of a specific digital intervention, the rice-farming simulation game Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, for nature relatedness, nutritional behaviors, and psychological well-being. MethodsA total of 66 adults without any prior major psychiatric disorders residing in an urban area were recruited for the study. They were randomly assigned to 2 groups through block randomization: the immediate intervention group (IIG; 34/66, 52%) and the waitlist group (32/66, 48%). Participants in the IIG were instructed to play the game for at least 4 days per week for 3 weeks, with each session lasting from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Assessments were performed at baseline, week 1, and week 3. The Nature Relatedness Scale (NR) and Nutrition Quotient Scale were used to evaluate nature relatedness and nutritional state, respectively. Furthermore, psychological state was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised, and Korean Resilience Quotient. ResultsThis study’s results revealed significant time interactions between the IIG and waitlist group for both the total NR score (P=.001) and the score of the self subdomain of NR (P<.001), indicating an impact of the game on nature relatedness. No group×time interactions were found for the total Nutrition Quotient Scale and subdomain scores, although both groups showed increases from baseline. For psychological state, a significant group×time interaction was observed in the total WHOQOL-BREF score (P=.049), suggesting an impact of the game on quality of life. The psychological (P=.01), social (P=.003), and environmental (P=.04) subdomains of the WHOQOL-BREF showed only a significant time effect. Other psychological scales did not display any significant changes (all P>.05). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the rice-farming game intervention might have positive effects on nature relatedness, nature-friendly dietary behaviors, quality of life, anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationships, and resilience among urban adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of pronature games in confined urban environments provides valuable evidence of how digital technologies can be used to enhance urban residents’ affinity for nature and psychological well-being. This understanding can be extended in the future to other digital platforms, such as metaverses. Trial RegistrationClinical Research Information Service (CRIS) KCT0007657; http://tinyurl.com/yck7zxp7https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e51596 |
| spellingShingle | Seulki Lee Chisung Yuh Yu-Bin Shin Heon-Jeong Lee Young-Mee Lee Jungsil Lee Chul-Hyun Cho Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Effects of a Rice-Farming Simulation Video Game on Nature Relatedness, Nutritional Status, and Psychological State in Urban-Dwelling Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | effects of a rice farming simulation video game on nature relatedness nutritional status and psychological state in urban dwelling adults during the covid 19 pandemic randomized waitlist controlled trial |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e51596 |
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