Tongue Muscle Training App for Middle-Aged and Older Adults Incorporating Flow-Based Gameplay: Design and Feasibility Pilot Study
Abstract BackgroundComplications due to dysphagia are increasingly prevalent among older adults; however, the tediousness and complexity of conventional tongue rehabilitation treatments affect their willingness to rehabilitate. It is unclear whether integrating gameplay into a...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2025-01-01
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| Series: | JMIR Serious Games |
| Online Access: | https://games.jmir.org/2025/1/e53045 |
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| Summary: | Abstract
BackgroundComplications due to dysphagia are increasingly prevalent among older adults; however, the tediousness and complexity of conventional tongue rehabilitation treatments affect their willingness to rehabilitate. It is unclear whether integrating gameplay into a tongue training app is a feasible approach to rehabilitation.
ObjectiveTongue training has been proven helpful for dysphagia treatment. Following the development of a tongue training app, a feasibility trial aimed to identify physiological and psychological factors that affect user and flow experience and explored whether training specialized muscles could produce a flow experience for optimal immersion. We aimed to provide a useful tool for medical rehabilitation so that older adults could retain tongue muscle flexibility.
MethodsAfter consulting professional nurses, we developed a mobile gaming app for middle-aged and older adults to train their tongue muscles. This pilot study used an image recognition system to detect the tongue movements of 32 healthy middle-aged and older adults (7 males, 21.9%; 25 females, 78.1%) during 3 game training tasks, each requiring different reaction speeds. Their physiological and psychological signals, as well as the results of the Flow State Scale 2 (FSS2) questionnaire, were used for correlation analysis regarding relevant flow experiences to establish and evaluate the feasibility of our method.
ResultsThrough exploratory factor analyses, a 2-factor (operation and immersion) structure was confirmed to have an adequate model fit (χ²36PP=PP
ConclusionsOur research supports the further development of a gaming app to aid older adults with tongue muscle training and measure flow using physiological and psychological signals to enhance training accuracy and feasibility. Next, we aim to conduct a randomized pilot trial, improve app functions, offer alternative rehabilitation options, and encourage long-term participation. Future goals include enhancing long-term efficacy, diversifying training modes, and adding a multiuser interactive option for an added challenge. |
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| ISSN: | 2291-9279 |