Effect of Sport Video Games with Biofeedback on Emotional Awareness and Regulation
Keywords:
sport video games, biofeedback, emotional awareness, emotion regulation, randomized controlled trial, young adults, MoroccoAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an eight-session sport video game intervention with biofeedback on improving emotional awareness and emotional regulation in young adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 participants recruited from universities and community centers in Morocco. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The intervention group completed eight 75-minute sessions of sport video games integrated with biofeedback over four weeks, while the control group engaged in standard physical activities without biofeedback. Emotional awareness and emotion regulation were measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at a four-month follow-up using validated self-report instruments. Data analysis was conducted using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post-hoc tests in SPSS-27. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant main effects of time, group, and their interaction for both emotional awareness (F(2,48) = 38.42, p < .001, η² = .58; F(1,28) = 31.55, p < .001, η² = .54; F(2,48) = 33.71, p < .001, η² = .56) and emotional regulation (F(2,48) = 42.61, p < .001, η² = .61; F(1,28) = 34.08, p < .001, η² = .55; F(2,48) = 36.21, p < .001, η² = .57). Bonferroni post-hoc tests indicated that the intervention group showed significant improvements from pre-test to post-test and sustained gains at the four-month follow-up (all p < .001), while the control group demonstrated no significant changes across time points. The findings suggest that sport video games integrated with biofeedback are effective in enhancing emotional awareness and emotion regulation, with benefits persisting beyond the intervention period. This approach offers a cost-effective, engaging, and scalable method to support emotional competencies in young adult populations.
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