Enhancement of Self-Critical Learning and Coping with Stress through the Use of Serious Games

Abstract

Introduction:

Disaster and emergency personnel must master a variety of medical skills and must be able to perform under various stressful circumstances. In general, medical personnel are highly educated and are expected to be self-critical individuals even under extreme circumstances. However, self-critical abilities seldom are trained or evaluated within these circumstances. The combination of training for critical tasks and coping with stress can be trained in a personalized way by using serious gaming techniques. Immersion in the real-life stressful context, by means of a game, is a strong trigger for the intrinsic motivation to learn. Serious gaming could be useful, but it is unclear in what way games should include self-critical learning and coping with stress.

Methods:

Several studies on the possibilities of serious gaming for medical personnel were performed: (1) an investigation on self-directed learning in ambulance workers; (2) an adventure based learning experiment with military physician; and (3) a literature review on games and stress.

Results:

The more subjects are capable of self-critical learning, the more they benefit from a game. Subjects can actively take control on what, how, and when they want to learn, which has an effect on self-efficacy and coping. Moreover, self-critical learning can be enhanced in a game, using feedback directed at the effects of stress on the critical performance of (medical) tasks.

Conclusions:

The ways serious games can enhance self-critical learning and coping with stress will be elaborated upon.