Exergames Enjoyment and Awareness of Their Use for Physical Activity and Health Among Young Adults

Exergames Enjoyment Using Various Devices and Awareness of Their Use for Physical Activity and Health Improvement Among Young Adults

The goal of this observational, non-interventional study is to explore how different exergame devices are perceived by young adults in terms of enjoyment and awareness of their potential use for physical activity and health improvement. Participants are exposed to several commercially available exergame systems in a standardized laboratory setting, with no intention to modify their health, fitness, or behavior.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Do different exergame devices provide different levels of enjoyment (as measured by the Exergame Enjoyment Questionnaire)?
• How do young adults perceive the usefulness of various exergames for supporting physical activity and health?

Participants will:

• Complete a brief questionnaire on physical activity habits.
• Take part in short (about 10 minutes each) exposure sessions using different exergame devices (VR, Wii Fit, Dance platform, Ring Fit) - approximately 50 minutes in total per participant.
• Be randomly assigned to complete post-exposure questionnaires referring to one randomly selected device only.

No interventions are applied and no pre-post measurements are collected; the study is purely observational, focusing on subjective user experience rather than behavioral or physiological change.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Young Adults

Detailed Description

This study investigates exergames as interactive digital technologies that combine gaming elements with physical activity. The research focuses on multiple commercially available devices representing different modes of interaction (virtual reality, motion sensors, balance platforms, and handheld controllers). The design followed a cross-sectional, single-session observational approach with a single sample of healthy young adults.

All participants completed baseline self-reports on physical activity, followed by standardized, non-interventional exposure to several exergame devices. Each participant interacted with all devices in an assigned order, under controlled laboratory conditions, with no manipulation intended to modify physical fitness, health status, or behaviour.

The exposure served solely for observational and comparative purposes to collect subjective evaluations rather than to test any training or therapeutic effects. Outcomes (structured evaluations regarding enjoyment and perceived utility of each exergame) were collected immediately post-exposure only, with no pre-post measurements or longitudinal follow-up.

Five commercially available exergame systems were included to represent diverse interaction modes:

• Sony PlayStation 4 with PlayStation VR (PS VR), using immersive virtual reality headsets with motion tracking.
• Nintendo Wii Fit, employing a balance board platform to capture weight shifts and postural control.
• Dance Revolution (DDR/StepMania-type system), based on a floor platform interface for rhythm-based movement.
• Nintendo Switch with Ring Fit Adventure (RFA), combining a resistance ring and leg strap for sensor-based motion detection.
• Meta Quest 2 (standalone VR headset), providing fully immersive virtual environments with handheld controllers.

All devices were used in a standardized observation setting (10-minute exposure per device, total 50 minutes per participant) with consistent instructions across participants. The sequence of device use was randomized to minimize order effects but not to assign participants to different intervention arms.

After completing all exposures, participants were randomly assigned to complete post-exposure questionnaires referring to one exergame device only. This procedure ensured that each participant evaluated a single system in detail, while overall responses were distributed evenly across all devices.

The study applied validated psychometric tools (Exergame Enjoyment Questionnaire, EEQ) as the primary outcome measure, alongside a custom survey assessing perceived training potential, engagement, and expected health benefits. All variables represent subjective, self-reported outcomes collected in a single measurement session.

Statistical analyses (non-parametric tests such as Kruskal-Wallis with post-hoc comparisons) examined differences in enjoyment ratings across devices. Descriptive analyses summarized participants' responses regarding device preferences, awareness of exergame applications, and prior experience.

This study does not test any health-related intervention, treatment, or behavioral modification. It is an observational, exposure-only investigation designed to explore user experience and perception of different exergame modalities, without inducing or evaluating physiological or functional change.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 227

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Wielkopolska
    • Poznan, Wielkopolska, Poland, 61-871
      • Poznan University of Physical Education

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Students of Poznan University of Physical Education

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years old or older,
• proficient in verbal communication,
• fully mobile.

Exclusion Criteria:

• any health conditions that could affect reaction time or PA levels, such as neurological disorders,
• current injuries,
• pain affecting the spine or upper limbs.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
healthy volunteers (university students, age 18-36); Single cohort of healthy volunteers (university students, age 18-36), all of whom were exposed to multiple exergame devices in a single laboratory session

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Enjoyment during exergame play	Tool: Exergame Enjoyment Questionnaire (EEQ) - validated 20-item instrument which integrates elements from the Game Engagement Questionnaire (GEQ), the Intrinsic Enjoyment Questionnaire (IEQ), and items from the PA Enjoyment Scale (PACES). The questionnaire captures multiple aspects of enjoyment, including emotional engagement, immersion, perceived physical benefits, and control, as well as potential negative experiences such as frustration or physical discomfort. Number of items: 20; Scoring: Likert scale (in range 1-5), with higher values indicating greater enjoyment; subscales were aggregated to provide an overall enjoyment score; Min-max values for EEG: 20-100 points.	EEG was assessed immeditely afterwards exergaming session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Awareness of exergame use	Tool: Custom questionnaire aimed to gather detailed information on participants' knowledge and perceptions of exergames as tools for physical training and health improvement. Broad range of topics covered aspects such as prior subjects awareness of exergames and VR in physical activity (e.g., "Were you aware that exergames/VR could be used for PA or therapy?"). It also examined participants' opinions on the usefulness of various exergames for physical training (e.g., "Which game do you find most useful for physical training and why?"), and explored their experiences with specific games, such as which left the greatest positive or negative impression. Additionally, questions addressed participants ' current use of modern technologies in PA and their views on how these tools could motivate others in their age group to engage in more PA. Scoring: dependently on the question it was adopted Likert scale (in range 1-5), yes/no answer, or multiple answers.	Awareness of exergame use was assessed immeditely afterwards exergaming session
Physical activity	Tool: International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Domains: i) vigorous PA - significant effort (rapid breathing and increased heart rate, e.g. running, high-intensity workouts); ii) moderate PA - moderate intensity (slight increase in heart rate, e.g. brisk walking, moderate cycling); iii) walking - all walking during work, transport, or leisure time; iv) sedentary behavior - number of hours spent sitting during a typical day. Scoring: Number of MET-minutes/week calculated on the basis of declared time spent on specific activity.	Physical activity was assessed before exergaming session

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Poznan University of Physical Education

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 15, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): May 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 17, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): November 19, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 19, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 17, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Virtual reality; Gamification; Exergames; Exercise enjoyment; Physical activity promotion; Digital health technologies
• Other Study ID Numbers: 220/23

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: All IPD that underlie results in a publication
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Beginning 1 month and ending 3 years after the publication of results

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Who will be able to access the IPD:

Qualified researchers affiliated with academic or non-profit institutions.

What will be shared:

De-identified individual participant data (survey responses and questionnaire scores). Supporting information includes the study protocol and statistical analysis plan.

How to access the IPD:

Data will be made available upon reasonable request to the Principal Investigator (PhD Magdalena Cyma-Wejchenig, Poznan University of Physical Education, cyma-wejchenig@awf.poznan.pl). Requests will be reviewed to ensure appropriate use and protection of participant confidentiality.

• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No