Developing Evaluation Framework of Serious Games for Children and Adolescent Health Management: A Systematic Review of Evaluators, Evaluation Elements, Methods and Process

Serious games, defined as games designed for purposes beyond entertainment, have emerged as a promising tool in the realm of digital health interventions. Evaluation is essential to ensure that these serious games fulfill their intended purpose and achieve the desired health outcomes. However, there are significant gaps in the evaluation practices of serious games, especially when applied to the pediatric population. Therefore, this systematic review aims to map the current landscape of evaluation practices used in serious games for children and adolescent health management. Specifically, we analyze (1) the time point of evaluation across different stages of game development and implementation, (2) the evaluators involved in the assessment process, (3) the key evaluation elements targeted, and (4) the evaluation methods employed. By synthesizing and classifying these factors, this review seeks to construct a scientific, comprehensive, child-centered evaluation framework to support standardized and comprehensive assessments in future research and practice, ultimately promoting the use of serious games for improving children and adolescent's health.