The Challenge: How can Yale University's play2PREVENT (p2P) Lab harness the power of “play” to prevent the initiation of opioid misuse in adolescents?

The Solution: With funding from the NIH HEAL Initiative, Yale’s p2P Lab partnered with Schell Games to create a game that ultimately aims to prevent the initiation of opioid misuse in adolescents, by focusing on adolescents' perception of risk of harm of opioid misuse.

The Results: PlaySmart is a digital intervention designed to teach players critical skills and knowledge around opioids. In this web-based game, players create a character and play through story stacks with interspersed minigames that introduce and build upon knowledge and skills around opioids and mental health. Content in the game includes definitions and examples of opioids, proper use and disposal of prescription opioids, consequences of opioid misuse and refusal strategies.

The game is currently in pilot testing and will eventually be distributed with help from the School-Based Health Alliance. Results from studies involving the game are pending.

Gallery