Our researchers
Chris Hollis (University of Nottingham), Paul Stallard (Bath University), Charlotte Hall (University of Nottingham), Mathijs Lucassen (City, University of London), Sally Merry, Karolina Stasiak (University of Auckland), Chris Greenhalgh, Camilla Babbage, Adam Parker, Kirsty Sprange, Chris Tench, Holly Griffiths, Lily Roberts (University of Nottingham)
What is SPARX?
SPARX is a game that was developed by researchers in New Zealand to support young people with depression. In the game you are an avatar who must navigate through levels in a fantasy world where you learn different ways to manage your mood. There are seven levels in total, and in each level, you have different tasks to complete. These tasks are based on cognitive behavioural therapy, an intervention recommended for people with depression. SPARX has been shown to have positive results in supporting young people with depressive symptoms in New Zealand and other areas of the world. We now want to see whether SPARX may be helpful for young people in the UK.
We also want to know what can be done to make SPARX more engaging and attractive to young people. For those who complete SPARX, we want to explore if additional human support means young people find SPARX more engaging. This means we need to first conduct a small-scale study to test these things in order to help us plan a larger study in the future.
Throughout this process we will be recording what works or doesn’t work, so we can apply this to a bigger trial in the future.
Is SPARX a game?
SPARX looks like a game, but it is a self-help tool for young people with mild to moderate depression. At the beginning of each level, you meet the Guide who talks to you about real life and what you will learn. You enter a portal into the ‘game world’ where you will learn and practice skills. After that, the Guide helps you work out how to use those skills in real life. There are seven levels in total. Therefore, SPARX may have the look and feel of a game, but it is a useful tool to help with low mood.
How does it work?
SPARX uses therapeutic skills in a game like way. Instead of learning new ways of doing things from reading a book, or talking with someone in therapy, SPARX uses fun and active learning strategies that you can practise safely in the game setting.
The type of therapy used in SPARX is called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT helps support people with depression and anxiety and is one of the main recommended interventions for people with depression.
Young people’s thoughts on participating in the SPARX trial:
[Taking part in the study]
“I'd say give it a try... If you don't like it, then you don't like it, but if it does help you, then it does help you. Because I think it's a good concept… appealing to people with like stuff to do with mental health, I think that's a pretty good idea.”
Young Person 1
“I'd definitely recommend it, because it just helped so much ... and also just the support that comes with it as well. It's very helpful"
Young Person 2
"I'd say it would be helpful for other people if they don't have much time. They can do it whenever they want, whereas in-person (therapy) you wouldn't be able to do it at 10:00 at night for example. So it's just more helpful for fitting it into a routine."
Young Person 3
Parent’s thoughts on participating in the SPARX trial:
[Would you recommend other parents of children with depression to take part?]
“Definitely, yeah. Because it's a game. So if especially if there's a child that likes tech and likes games, it's ideal, isn't it?”
Parent 1
"Even just doing the SPARX programme and him realising that this programmes been written so he's not the only one who has these sort of feelings... I think it helped him to realise that he's not the only one that feels the way he feels."
Parent 2
"And the main thing that I noticed was ... even if he gets like upset about something, he will try and negotiate. Whereas he did not do that before playing SPARX, he would just get upset about things."
Parent 3
“I think we're lucky to have had the chance for him to do it. And yeah, I hope you do roll it out because it will be a good tool for lots of people to be able to have… As well as it being a way that more kids might want to engage with, it is also just really hard to get face to face. You know, the waiting lists are really, really long... so any anything that can be rolled out to help because there's so many kids struggling with this stuff, it's great. So yeah, definitely.”
Parent 4
[Thoughts about the eCoach]
"I actually liked it 'cause it did give (the young person) that sense of independence... it was his thing and he can control it and you know he was responsible for it I think he actually really liked it"
Parent 5
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