Margaret McLaughlin, Chair

ABSTRACT:
Using a Computer Game to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle to College Students: Knowledge Gain and Attitudinal Change  

The dietary habits and physical activity level of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have increasingly drawn researchers’ attention. The current dissertation study developed a computer game-based healthy lifestyle promotion program to target young adults, especially college students. In collaboration with a dietitian and two programmers, this RightWay Café game was developed based on Social Cognitive Theory, Health Belief Model, and Theory of Reasoned Action. This dissertation study examined the effect of using a computer game to teach nutrition and weight management knowledge, and to change psychosocial determinants of behavioral change regarding leading a healthy lifestyle. Two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 (N = 40) was a randomized controlled study, which demonstrated that playing the RightWay Café game was effective in increasing nutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, perceived benefit, and intention to lead a healthy lifestyle. The game also had long-term effects on these psychosocial determinants of behavioral change regarding leading a healthy lifestyle. To investigate the underlying mechanism of how the computer game works, experiment 2 (N = 80) adopted a 2 by 2 design with the experience mode (game playing vs. game watching) and role similarity (playing or watching a similar role vs. playing or watching a dissimilar role) as the two between-subjects factors. Playing the game was more effective than watching the playback of other people’s game playing to increase self-efficacy and intention to lead a healthy lifestyle, even though the contents the participants received were comparable. Identification with the role in the game was the mediator for the playing effect. In addition, playing or watching a similar role was more effective than playing or watching a dissimilar role. This study extended Social Cognitive Theory into the virtual experience domain. The summative evaluation of the RightWay Café game also demonstrated that computer game could be an effective tool for health intervention. Theoretical and practical implications of the current dissertation study are discussed.