Table 3.
Characteristics of the serious game interventions.
| Study | Duration (weeks) | Frequency/ intensity | Guidance and supervision | Measurement points | Game adherence |
| Armbrust et al [18] | 14 | Weekly/not specified | 4 supervised group sessions with parents and children and contact via email with research personnel. Parents were requested to participate. | Baseline, 3 months, and 12 months | Not specified |
| Baque et al [33] |
20 |
30 minutes per day, 60 hours game play in total | Supervision by a caregiver and assessment of online adherence. Parents were requested to participate. |
Baseline and 20 weeks | Mean 17.57 hours (SD 14.9 hours, range 0-46.14 hours) of 'Move it to improve it' (Mitii) training, average of 52.68 logins (SD 39.98 logins) |
| Christison et al [34] | 10 | Not specified | 10 supervised group sessions, 4 monthly maintenance sessions by a dietitian or counselor, and medical students as facilitators. Parents were requested to participate. | Baseline, 10 months, and 6 months | Not specified |
| Howell et al [40] | 24 | Not specified | None | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks |
Not specified |
| Maddison et al [35] | 24 | Not specified | None | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks |
At 12 weeks, 15.5 minutes a day (SD 26.3 minutes a day); at 24 weeks, 10.2 minutes a day (SD 23.9 minutes a day) |
| Maloney et al [36] | 12 |
Not specified | 2-6 contacts with research personnel over a 20-week period. Contact by e-mail or fax was made if participants did not use the program for 2 weeks. | Baseline and 12 weeks | 89 minutes per week over the 12-week period |
| Mitchell et al [37] | 20 | 30 minutes a day on 6 days a week | Contact with therapists via email, telephone, or video conferencing for encouragement and technical support. | Baseline and 20 weeks | 32.4 hours (SD 17.2 hours) of training over the 20-week period, logging in for 24.2 minutes (SD 5.5 minutes) on an average of 77.7 days |
| Staiano et al [38] | 12 | 60 minutes a day, 3 times a week | Three “Gaming Coaches” were present to supervise the game sessions. | Baseline and 14 weeks | Not specified |
| Trost et al [39] | 16 | Not specified | The JOIN for Me program consisted of 16 weekly supervised sessions with groups of children and parents. | Baseline, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks | 8 children discontinued the program |