Understanding Children's Perceptions of Game Elements in an Online Gamified Intervention: Contributions by the Self-Determination Theory

Gamification is often used to promote learners' motivation, however, there is a lack of qualitative research on specific game elements. This study adopted a qualitative design to examine children's perceptions of six game elements within an online self-regulation intervention for healthy eating. Children (N = 26) were interviewed post-intervention regarding each game element (e.g., leaderboards). Thematic analyses revealed six main themes: Narrative Context; Feedback; Reputation, ranks, and levels; Teams; Competition under Rules; and Time Pressure. Children affirmed that these game elements were key in creating a game-like environment, which promoted their participation in the intervention. Lastly, when considering the basic psychological needs set by the Self-Determination Theory, the game elements Rules and Time Pressure may have satisfied children's need for autonomy, while Narrative Context, Feedback, Points, and Leaderboards seemed to satisfy their competence need, and the Narrative Context and Teams may have satisfied their relatedness need.