Exergames in Mental Health (PHYSIOGAME)

May 18, 2026 updated by: Inés Llamas-Ramos, University of Salamanca

Effectiveness of a Physical Therapy Intervention Using Exergames in Mental Health

Mental health and stress-related disorders have a growing impact on physical functioning, motivation, and participation in daily activities. Several studies indicate that integrating physical therapy into mental health programs improves functional status, reduces associated physical symptoms (fatigue, muscle tension, somatization), and promotes emotional regulation through movement. However, its implementation in clinical services remains limited. This project proposes to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative mental health-oriented physical therapy program using active video games (exergames) on the Nintendo Switch platform, an accessible, motivating tool that can be adapted to each patient's functional level.

Objective: To determine whether a structured physiotherapy program based on exergames promotes physical exercise, improves quality of life, and increases therapeutic adherence in patients with mental illness.

Methods: An experimental pilot study will be conducted, implementing an intervention over 4 weeks, with 2 sessions per week lasting 40 minutes. Participants (n=12) will be assigned to an intervention group (exergames with Nintendo Switch) or a control group (usual routine). Quality of life, motivation, and therapeutic adherence will be assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, and a satisfaction questionnaire.

Expected results: The intervention group is expected to show better quality of life, greater motivation to exercise, and greater adherence to treatment. It is also expected to demonstrate that exergames are a viable tool, accepted by patients and incorporable into mental health physical therapy programs.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

12

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Salamanca
      • Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain, 37007
        • University of Salamanca

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults between 18 and 65 years of age.
  • Clinical diagnosis of mental illness.
  • Psychopharmacological stability for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
  • Ability to perform light-moderate physical exercise.
  • Written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe psychiatric diagnoses with psychotic involvement or high suicide risk.
  • Neurological or musculoskeletal conditions that limit the safe practice of exercise.
  • Active substance use that interferes with the intervention.
  • Moderate-severe cognitive impairment.
  • Recent participation (<3 months) in other intervention studies.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Exergames

Participants will undergo physical therapy based on active video games using the Nintendo Switch, with games selected for their ability to promote physical activity:

  • Ring Fit Adventure (guided training, integrated breathing).
  • Nintendo Switch Sports (overall movement, coordination).
  • Just Dance (motivational cardiovascular activation).
Other: Control
This group will continue to perform the usual intervention that has scheduled.
Other Names:
  • Control group
Active Comparator: Conventional
This group will continue to carry out the usual intervention
Procedure: EXERCISE TRAINING WITH OR WITHOUT MEDICATION

Participants will undergo physical therapy based on active video games using the Nintendo Switch, with games selected for their ability to promote physical activity, for 2 sessions/week, 40 minutes, for 4 weeks:

  • Ring Fit Adventure (guided training, integrated breathing).
  • Nintendo Switch Sports (overall movement, coordination).
  • Just Dance (motivational cardiovascular activation).
Other Names:
  • Exergames with Nintendo Switch

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Quality of life: World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time Frame: Day 1, day 15 and day 29
The WHOQOL-BREF is a questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization to assess perceived quality of life. It is an abbreviated version of the WHOQOL-100 and contains 26 items that explore four main dimensions: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. It also includes two general questions on the overall perception of quality of life and satisfaction with health. It is a widely used, valid, and reliable instrument in different populations, providing a comprehensive and comparative view of people's well-being in their life context. It has been used in psychiatric populations and in studies with people with various mental disorders, and there is scientific evidence of its use and psychometric properties in this context.
Day 1, day 15 and day 29

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Motivation: Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI)
Time Frame: Day 1, day 15 and day 29
The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) is a questionnaire designed to assess the degree of intrinsic motivation a person experiences when performing a specific activity. It measures key psychological factors related to motivation, such as interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort, perceived value or usefulness of the task, pressure/stress, and experience of choice or autonomy. It is a widely used tool in studies of motivation, learning, and adherence to intervention programs, as it provides insight into which aspects of an activity promote participant engagement and persistence. The IMI has also been used in psychiatric populations and in studies related to mental health.
Day 1, day 15 and day 29
Adverse effects
Time Frame: Day 1, day 15 and day 29
Self-diary
Day 1, day 15 and day 29

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Salamanca

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 30, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

May 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 29, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 18, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • MENTALHEALTH2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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