Designing a Narrative-Based Video Game for Adolescents Coping with a Parent’s Cancer

  • Sophia Hamilton
  • , Xubing Hao
  • , Sharon Andrews
  • , Eveyln Roldan
  • , Carlos Martinez
  • , Jane Hamilton
  • , Muhammad Tuan Amith
  • , Licong Cui

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

We developed the narrative video game Sophia that immerses users in the story of a 13-year-old girl during her father’s 18-month battle with glioblastoma and her journey toward resilience during her high school years following his passing. The game is designed to engage adolescents coping with parental cancer in multiple gameplay modes and levels, the character, and the outcome of the story as a way to build connections and explore the themes of illness, dying, bereavement, and resilience. The scenes at each level correspond to the stages of glioblastoma illness as well as the teenage milestones she passes through without her father (e.g. seeing her friends’ fathers at school events, trying out for sports teams, learning to drive, and applying for college). Our next step is to utilize a stakeholder advisory board to review content and make suggestions for adaptations. Finally, we will evaluate the usability, feasibility, acceptability, perception, and impact of the game on adolescent participants experiencing parental cancer and/or the loss of a parent from cancer.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationHCI International 2025 Posters - 27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025, Proceedings
EditorsConstantine Stephanidis, Margherita Antona, Stavroula Ntoa, Gavriel Salvendy
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages72-78
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)9783031941610
DOIs
StatePublished - 2025
Event27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025 - Gothenburg, Sweden
Duration: Jun 22 2025Jun 27 2025

Publication series

NameCommunications in Computer and Information Science
Volume2526 CCIS
ISSN (Print)1865-0929
ISSN (Electronic)1865-0937

Conference

Conference27th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2025
Country/TerritorySweden
CityGothenburg
Period6/22/256/27/25

Keywords

  • bibliotherapy
  • cancer survivorship
  • health communication
  • narrative
  • serious game

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Computer Science
  • General Mathematics

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