Interactive simulations to help teenagers cope when a parent has a traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of long-term disability and death worldwide. This article describes an ongoing research project to design, develop, and evaluate interactive learning simulations that integrate educational materials for uninjured teenagers who have a parent with a TBI. By immersing players in an interactive environment that resembles the gaming world with which most teenagers are familiar, these simulations are designed to help players develop knowledge and skills in circumstances approximating real-life settings. We describe the steps we took, both to consult with families affected by TBI to understand the difficulties teenagers commonly face when they live with a brain-injured parent, and to weave some of these difficulties into a pedagogical drama that can be played as an interactive game.