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CatHill: Emotion-Based Interactive Storytelling Game as a Digital Mental Health Intervention

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Jia JiaAuthors Info & Claims

CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Article No.: 64, Pages 1 - 7

https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585639

Published: 19 April 2023 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce CatHill, an emotion-based interactive storytelling game leveraging Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help college students with chronic mental health conditions. The game utilizes evidence-based stories to integrate three CBT techniques: exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and relaxation training. We propose a novel interface only controlled by players’ mouths to engage players better. The game allows players to chat with non-player characters (NPCs) and their speech emotions will deeply influence NPCs’ actions and story progression. Besides, players can also conduct mindful breathing exercises by breath control. Such fun and impressive interaction modes teach young people to understand the correlation among thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and change irrational automatic thoughts, and overcome anxiety or distress. Through our practice, we show that popular game elements and new interaction technologies have the potential to expand the impact of digital mental health interventions.

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Cited By

Agcal BYin IMiller MRay L(2025)Bricolage: aligning with climate action through playful participatory design in speculative scenariosInternational Journal of Play10.1080/21594937.2025.2464324(1-17)Online publication date: 17-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2025.2464324
Spahl WMotta VWoodcock KRubeis G(2024)Gamified Digital Mental Health Interventions for Young People: Scoping Review of Ethical Aspects During Development and ImplementationJMIR Serious Games10.2196/6448812(e64488)Online publication date: 28-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.2196/64488
Fan GZhang CWang KLi YChen JXu Z(2024)CUPID: Improving Battle Fairness and Position Satisfaction in Online MOBA Games with a Re-matchmaking SystemProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36869788:CSCW2(1-39)Online publication date: 8-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3686978
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

CatHill: Emotion-Based Interactive Storytelling Game as a Digital Mental Health Intervention
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
    1. HCI design and evaluation methods
  2. Interaction design

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cover image ACM Conferences

CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

April 2023

3914 pages

ISBN:9781450394222

DOI:10.1145/3544549

Editors:
Albrecht Schmidt
LMU Munich, Germany
,
Kaisa Väänänen
Tampere University, Finland
,
Tesh Goyal
Google Research, USA
,
Per Ola Kristensson
University of Cambridge, UK
,
Anicia Peters
University of Namibia, Namibia

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Published: 19 April 2023

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the National Key R&D Program of China under Grant
the state key program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

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CHI '23: CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

April 23 - 28, 2023

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Cited By

Agcal BYin IMiller MRay L(2025)Bricolage: aligning with climate action through playful participatory design in speculative scenariosInternational Journal of Play10.1080/21594937.2025.2464324(1-17)Online publication date: 17-Feb-2025
https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2025.2464324
Spahl WMotta VWoodcock KRubeis G(2024)Gamified Digital Mental Health Interventions for Young People: Scoping Review of Ethical Aspects During Development and ImplementationJMIR Serious Games10.2196/6448812(e64488)Online publication date: 28-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.2196/64488
Fan GZhang CWang KLi YChen JXu Z(2024)CUPID: Improving Battle Fairness and Position Satisfaction in Online MOBA Games with a Re-matchmaking SystemProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36869788:CSCW2(1-39)Online publication date: 8-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3686978
Kitson AAntle AKenny SAdhikari AKarthik KCimensel AChan M(2024)'I Call Upon a Friend': Virtual Reality-Based Supports for Cognitive Reappraisal Identified through Co-designing with AdolescentsProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642723(1-18)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3642723
Kitson ASlovak PAntle A(2024)Supporting Cognitive Reappraisal With Digital Technology: A Content Analysis and Scoping Review of Challenges, Interventions, and Future DirectionsProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3642488(1-17)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3642488

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