Group Digital Gaming: Experiences of Older Adults Living With Dementia in an Activity for Cognitive Impairment

The study examines the effects of a group digital gaming intervention on cognitive function, mood, and behaviors in people with early to moderate levels of dementia, using Obie Technology by employing a pretest and posttest design with a mixed methods approach.

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Key information

Conditions

Dementia Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia, 22030, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

individuals with early-stage dementia (MoCA scores ≥ 20) or moderate-stage dementia (MoCA scores 10-19) who were able to participate in the intervention activity twice weekly for 20 weeks.

Exclusion criteria

Treatment and study plan

Group-Based Digital Gaming

Behavioral

The interactive digital gaming activity is delivered using Obie Technology. Various games are projected onto the table's surface, and participants interacted with them by "touching" the images with their hands. The system included sensors that detected hand movements, making the activity fully interactive. More than 200 games are available. Some examples of the popular games include Mahjong, in which participants match identical tiles by touching them, and Around the World, in which participants identify the correct objects based on the country's flag, such as selecting a double-decker London bus for the United Kingdom. For many games, difficulty levels are adjustable, which is especially useful for games that involves math. Games are chosen based on participants' requests as well as facilitators' recommendations.

Primary outcomes

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA):

Time frame: Before the intervention (baseline), at the end of week 10, and at the end of the intervention (after 20 weeks of the study).

Montreal Cognitive Assessment contains 30 items and takes approximately 10 minutes to administer assessing multiple cognitive domains such as short-term memory, visuospatial abilities, and abstraction. The minimum total score is 0 and the maximum tota score is 30. The higher scores are associated with better cognitive function, and a score of 26 and higher is considered normal.
Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q)

Time frame: Before the intervention (baseline), at the end of week 10, and at the end of the intervention (after 20 weeks of the study).

Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire is an informant-based instrument that assesses the possible presence of 12 neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia, including delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, dysphoria/depression, anxiety, euphoria/elation, apathy/indifference, disinhibition, irritability/lability, aberrant motor behaviors, night-time behavioral disturbances and appetite/eating disturbances. It asks the presence each symptom and its severity with a 3-point scale. The minimum total score is 0, and the maximum total score is 36. Higher scores indicate more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms and/or greater caregiver distress. It is shown to be a reliable and valid instrument. Most informants will be able to complete this instrument in less than five minutes.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

George Mason University

Other

Registry information

Acronym: PLwD

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Apr 21, 2026
Registry last updated: Sep 15, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed