Feasibility and acceptance of decision-based games for the assessment of anxiety and depression

Samsuri, Suhaila and Mohiuddin Khandaker, Zakaria and Rosli, Syamil and Mohd Ghazali, Maria Wardah and Ruhaimi, Ahmad Lutfi (2026) Feasibility and acceptance of decision-based games for the assessment of anxiety and depression. International Journal on Perceptive and Cognitive Computing (IJPCC), 12 (2). pp. 104-110. E-ISSN 2462-229X

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Abstract

Traditional mental health assessments for anxiety and depression often face limitations due to their overtly clinical nature and susceptibility to self-report and social desirability biases. To overcome these barriers, this preliminary study explores the feasibility and user acceptance of decision-based games as immersive, early-screening tools specifically targeting university students. Employing a qualitative descriptive design, the research integrated a multimedia production methodology with semi-structured interviews and user acceptance testing (UAT) involving clinical psychologists, academic experts, and student volunteers. The findings indicate that decision-based games can successfully and practically integrate standard psychometric tools, such as the GAD-7 and PHQ-9, yielding high user acceptance. However, experts stressed that to maintain psychological safety and clinical validity, these games must be strictly classified as preliminary screening tools rather than diagnostic instruments, and they must retain the exact original wording of the assessments. Furthermore, targeted design mechanics, including culturally resonant scenarios, minimalist anxiety-sensitive visuals, and brief 5- to 10-minute gameplay sessions, significantly enhance user engagement. Ultimately, well-designed decision-based games offer a viable, engaging, and less stigmatizing alternative to traditional questionnaires for routine mental health screening.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Decision-based games, Mental health screening, GAD-7, PHQ-9, University students, Gamification in healthcare
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General) T Technology > T Technology (General) > T10.5 Communication of technical information
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology > Department of Information System Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology > Department of Information System Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology
Depositing User:	Dr Suhaila Samsuri
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2026 09:20
Last Update:	11 Aug 2026 09:20
Queue Number:	2026-08-Q4650
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/130686

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