Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2019; 12(02): 100-105
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20190069
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Games as education tools

Katie Moraes Almondes
1   Psychology Department, Postgraduate Program in Psychobiology and Onofre Lopes University Hospital/Sleep Clinic AMBSONO - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
,
Maria Emanuela Matos Leonardo
2   UFRN, Psychologist of the AMBSONO Sleep Clinic and researcher in the Applied Neuroscience, Basic Process and Chronobiology Group - Natal - RN - Brazil.
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
   Permissions and Reprints

Objective The aim of this study was evaluated effects of an intervention with the serious game “Perfect Bedroom: learn to sleep well” on the sleep habits of healthy children.

Methods Two groups were composed, experimental (EG) (n=8) and control (CG) (n=5), with health children. This study presented four stages: pre-intervention, intervention, post-intervention and follow-up. Parents responded questionnaires about sociodemographic data and sleep habits measured by UNESP Sleep Habits and Hygiene Scale Child version (USHS). Children responded strategies developed by researchers: “Set up your bedroom” and “Mapping activities before bedtime”. The intervention was performed with “Perfect Bedroom” twice a week and for three weeks in a row. Inferential analysis was accomplished for comparisons between groups (Mann-Whitney test) and intragroups (Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Friedman test for repeated measures).

Results Preliminary results indicated non-significant differences on the sleep habits reported by parents. Children’s responses indicated a reduction in the number of electronic objects in bedroom and actions with these devices to EG.

Discussion As far as we know, this is the first study that used a serious game to promote healthy sleep habits in children. In addition, they are actively included in the change process. Preliminary findings contribute to indicate the potential of this approach as an effective tool to promote healthy sleep habits in children.

Children - Sleep Hygiene - Sleep - Interactive Learning - Games, Experimental


Publication History

Received: 08 October 2018

Accepted: 23 April 2019

Article published online:
31 October 2023

© 2023. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil

 
  • 1 Matricciani L, Olds T, Petkov J. In search of lost sleep: secular trends in the sleep time of school-aged children and adolescents. Sleep Med Rev. 2012;16(1):203-11.
  • 2 National Sleep Foundation. Sleep in America poll [Internet]. Washington: National Sleep Foundation; 2004. Available from: http://sleepfoundation. org/sites/default/.les/FINALSOF2004.pdf
  • 3 Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D’Ambrosio C, Hall WA, Kotagal S, Lloyd RM, et al. Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the Recommended Amount of Sleep for Healthy Children: Methodology and Discussion. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016;12(11):1549-61.
  • 4 Simola P, Liukkonen K, Pitkäranta A, Pirinen T, Aronen ET. Psychosocial and somatic outcomes of sleep problems in children: a 4-year follow-up study. Child Care Health Dev. 2012;40(1):60-7.
  • 5 Mindell JA, Meltzer LJ, Carskadon MA, Chervin RD. Developmental aspects of sleep hygiene: findings from the 2004 National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Poll. Sleep Med. 2009;10(7):771-9.
  • 6 Gruber R, Anders TF, Beebe D, Bruni O, Buckhalt JA, Carskadon MA, et al. A call for action regarding translational research in pediatric sleep. Sleep Health. 2016;2(2):88-9.
  • 7 Pinheiro DCA, Pires MLN, Câmara RL, Almeida ACD, Oliveira GR, El-Rafihi- Ferreira R. Durma bem, meu bem! Um projeto de extensão voltado à promoção de hábitos saudáveis de sono na infância. In: 7ş Congresso de Extensão Universitária da UNESP; 2013 Oct 1-3; Águas de Lindoia, SP, Brazil.
  • 8 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Manual de Orientação: Departamento de Adolescência. Saúde de Crianças e Adolescentes na Era Digital. Rio de Janeiro: Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria; 2016. Available from: http:// www.sbp.com.br/fileadmin/user_upload/2016/11/19166d-MOrient- Saude-Crian-e-Adolesc.pdf
  • 9 Allen SL, Howlett MD, Coulombe JA, Corkum PV. ABCs of SLEEPING: A review of the evidence behind pediatric sleep practice recommendations. Sleep Med Rev. 2016;29:1-14.
  • 10 Meltzer LJ, Mindell JA. Relationship between child sleep disturbances and maternal sleep, mood and parenting stress: a pilot study. J Fam Psychol. 2007;21(1):67-73.
  • 11 Baranowski T, Blumberg F, Buday R, DeSmet A, Fiellin LE, Green CS, et al. Games for Health for Children-Current Status and Needed Research. Games Health J. 2016;5(1):1-12.
  • 12 de Almondes KM, Leonardo MEM. Study Protocol of Sleep Education Tool for Children: Serious Game “Perfect Bedroom: Learn to Sleep Well”. Front Psychol. 2018;9:1016.
  • 13 Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa (ABEP). Alterações na aplicação do Critério Brasil, válidas a partir de 01/01/2015. São Paulo: ABEP; 2014. Available from: http://www.abep.org/Servicos/Download. aspx?id=09
  • 14 Nascimento-Ferreira MV, Collese TS, de Moraes AC, Rendo-Urteaga T, Moreno LA, Carvalho HB. Validity and reliability of sleep time questionnaires in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2016;30:85-96.
  • 15 Pires MLN, Vilela CB, Câmara RL. Desenvolvimento de uma medida de hábitos de sono e aspectos da prevalência de problemas de comportamentais de sono na infância: uma contribuição. In: Ribeiro DPSA, Rosa HR, Silva Filho N, eds. Processos Clínicos e Saúde Mental. São Paulo: Cultura Acadêmica Editora & Vetor Editora; 2012. p. 167-92.
  • 16 Cain N, Gradisar M. Electronic media use and sleep in school-aged children and adolescents: A review. Sleep Med. 2010;11(8):735-42.
  • 17 Ashton R. Does a universal sleep education programme improve the sleep habits of primary school children? Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2017;15(2):143-51.
  • 18 Blunden SL. What more can we learn about sleep education programs in young people? Sleep Med Rev. 2017;36:1-2.
  • 19 Jones CHD, Owens JA, Pham B. Can a brief educational intervention improve parents’ knowledge of healthy children’s sleep? A pilot-test. Health Educ J. 2013;72(5):601-10.
  • 20 McDowall PS, Galland BC, Campbell AJ, Elder DE. Parent knowledge of children’s sleep: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2017;31:39-47.