Computer-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Disorders: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy interventions have recently been established as an efficient means of treatment for a variety of mental diseases, including stress, anxiety, and depression. Researchers apply the gamification approach to boost the number of mental health interventions. Gamification adds a sense of mystery, increases motivation, and increases enjoyment. Recently, an increase has been noted in research that merges mental health and the domains of gaming and gamification. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the effectiveness of games, gamification and Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in the intervention of depression, anxiety, and stress disorders (DASDs) for different ages. METHODS This study conducted a search on eight scientific repositories, namely, PubMed Central, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Google Scholar, the IEEE Xplore Digital Library, ACM Digital Library, Springer, Wiley, and Science Direct. We considered any study design for reporting primary data. We used the title, abstract, and full text of journal articles to build diagnostic groups and described several selected specific applications (i.e., game-based, gamification-based, non-gaming, and mixed). RESULTS A total of 39 research created serious games, gamified applications for CBT and other skills, and app-based CBT without games or gamification for computers and smartphones and evaluated them on various age groups of children, adolescents, and adults. In the stage of university students, depression is increasingly prevalent. Unanimous questionnaires that track symptoms are common evaluation instruments. Pre- and post-treatment data are typically collected and compared in studies. CONCLUSIONS This study supports the efficacy of gaming, gamification, and CBT therapies for managing stress, anxiety, and depression in people of all ages. Due to the significance of each part, future studies may focus on understanding its components and developing them to improve their effectiveness.