Date Presented 04/04/19
Engagement in video-game play has become a popular meaningful occupation for clients today. For individuals who have sustained upper-extremity injury or amputation that limits function, game play through the use of custom-adapted game controllers can provide a multitude of psychological and functional benefits. This mixed-methods study explored the impact of adapted video-game controller use on the quality of life of 20 participants who sustained upper-extremity amputations or injuries.
Primary Author and Speaker: Kaitlyn Jones
Additional Authors and Speakers: Carol Coté
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of re-engagement in video game play through the use of adapted technology on the quality of life of 20 participations that had sustained upper extremity injuries or amputations. This study sought to provide insights regarding the benefits of gaming on one’s quality of life beyond enjoyment and leisure, and extending to improvements in one’s functional performance.
DESIGN: This was a mixed-methods survey-based study. Participant recruitment was conducted through a Facebook post by a non-profit organization that created and provided adapted controllers to the prospective participant population. The post invited members of this organization’s social network who met the criteria of having an upper extremity injury or amputation and is currently using adapted video game controllers to participate in the study via an online survey link contained in the post. There were 20 participants that completed the survey. Half of the participants utilized adapted controllers secondary to non-amputation related injuries such as spinal cord injury, brachial plexus injury, or limb salvage. The other half of the participants utilized adapted controllers secondary to amputation-related injuries.
METHOD: The online survey used for this study included the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) and intake questions regarding the participant’s injury, indicated reason for controller use, and controller hardware components. The survey also provided participants with an opportunity to submit open ended responses or general comments about their experiences with adapted controllers. The scores for the PIADS assessment, comprised of a total of 26 questions, are broken down to three subscales (Competence, Adaptability, and Self Esteem). Mean subscale scores were calculated using the algorithm provided by creators of the PIADS assessment. Mean subscale scores generated from the PIADS assessment taken by the participants in this study were compared to PIADS assessment scores of participants from another study with the same sample size (n=20) whose participants completed the PIADS assessments in regards to their experience with manual wheelchair use in order to serve as comparative data. Using a t-test, the statistical significance of the impact of adapted gaming controller use was calculated. Qualitative data was gathered through open-ended comment responses provided by participants and analyzed for common trends or themes.
RESULTS: The mean scores for the PIADS subscales of “Adaptability” and “Self Esteem” for participants in this study were statistically significant at p<.05 and p<.001 respectively as compared mean subscale scores of the 20 participants from the comparative study who took the PIADS assessment in reference to manual wheelchair use on quality of life, suggesting that adapted game controller use had a greater impact on this study's participants in those areas. In the qualitative analysis, three main themes emerged that participants identified as benefits to game play: 1. Functional Performance 2. Mental Health and 3. Leisure.
CONCLUSION: The use of adapted video game controllers after upper extremity injury have an overall positive effect on users and their impact on quality life extends beyond fun and leisure. The ability to engage in game play through the use of adapted controllers may also impact one’s functional independence, mental health and social participation constituents of one’s quality of life.
References
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