A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Feasibility of a Science-Based Game Called Symphony to Alleviate Depression Symptoms

Clinical depression reportedly affected about 3.8% of the population worldwide in 2021. First-line treatments, such as medication and psychotherapy, can be ineffective for several reasons; hence, computerized solutions have been proposed as complementary aid tools. This paper presents Symphony, a mobile casual game designed to aid individuals with mild to moderate-severe depression symptoms. It exploits puzzle-solving, music-listening, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to provide psychoeducation for improving mental well-being and mood, and promoting cognitive stimulation. An iterative design approach was used, and was tested by a sample of university students receiving psychological support (N = 8), who completed pre-and post-intervention questionnaires to assess the impact of playing Symphony on their depressive symptomatology, mood, and also to gather their perception of the game. Additionally, therapists’ informal comments and observations were also collected. Results revealed that playing Symphony generated mostly positive affective responses and mood changes. Our study supports the feasibility of using Symphony as an adjunctive treatment strategy to induce positive changes in participants. However, further research is needed to validate Symphony’s effectiveness and make it customizable to each individual.