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The “Game of Being” Framework: A Mechanism- and Theory-Informed Approach to Therapeutic Gamification

Authors

Dito Anurogo Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v5i2.29

Keywords:

Therapeutic gamification, digital therapeutics, self-determination theory, behaviour change wheel

Abstract

This narrative review reframes therapeutic gamification and serious games from engagement optimization to a mechanism- and theory-informed intervention paradigm. It synthesizes evidence from reward-based learning neuroscience, behavior-change frameworks, wellbeing–health links, clinical trials in mental/behavioral health, and philosophy of play, prioritizing systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and canonical models. Impact is most likely when mechanics are mapped to self-determination theory and COM-B/Behaviour Change Wheel, implemented via behavior change techniques, and assessed with wellbeing measures alongside clinical/behavioral endpoints. Reported effects are small-to-moderate, with stronger benefits in theory-aligned designs and structured serious-game therapeutics (e.g., adolescent depression; pediatric ADHD). The “Game of Being” framework positions gamification as a layered vehicle for neurobehavioral learning, capability expansion, and meaning-making, advocating ethical-by-design transparency and hypothesis-driven trials.

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