{"id":13897,"date":"2025-06-02T12:55:43","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T12:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8d.nl\/projecten\/lifestyle-change-for-adolescents\/"},"modified":"2025-07-10T09:06:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T09:06:58","slug":"lifestyle-change-for-adolescents","status":"publish","type":"projecten","link":"https:\/\/8d.nl\/en\/projecten\/lifestyle-change-for-adolescents\/","title":{"rendered":"Lifestyle change for adolescents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lifestyle change for adolescents<\/h1>\n\n\n

In mental healthcare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Lifestyle Challenge explores how lifestyle change in adolescents with mental health challenges can be supported through a co-designed serious game. Together with healthcare professionals and young people, we developed a concept for a digital lifestyle intervention. The project was carried out as design-led research in collaboration with GGz Centraal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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\n Gain insight (through a co-creative design process) into the factors that either hinder or support lifestyle change in adolescents <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n Explore, together with adolescents and healthcare professionals, what makes a lifestyle intervention effective and engaging <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n Translate design insights into a clear prototype that lays the groundwork for future development and funding <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\n Questions? Need a sparring partner? <\/h5>\n

\n Call 058 843 57 57<\/a>\n <\/h4>\n \n

\n Maarten<\/strong> likes to think along! <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"lifestyle<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Why is it crucial to actively support lifestyle change in adolescents?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Various studies show that lifestyle interventions (such as improving sleep, eating healthier, and increasing physical activity) can positively impact both physical and mental health. This connection is especially significant for adolescents with psychiatric conditions, who often face additional barriers such as side effects from medication, difficulties with self-regulation, or social isolation. At the same time, this group often struggles more than others to build and sustain healthy routines, particularly when interventions don\u2019t align with their world and needs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Despite growing awareness within mental healthcare of the role lifestyle plays, there is a lack of accessible, motivating tools that truly activate young people. Information alone isn\u2019t enough: behavioral change requires repetition, autonomy, and a meaningful connection to the user\u2019s own perspective and experience. In this project with GGz Centraal, we used a co-creative design approach<\/a> to ask a crucial question: how can we translate the perspectives, needs, and obstacles of adolescents into a digital lifestyle intervention that truly works for them?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n \n \n<\/div>\n

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\"\"Approach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Through multiple co-creation sessions with both healthcare professionals and adolescents, the concept for the game was developed step by step. Early sessions focused on identifying which lifestyle themes were most relevant\u2014and how adolescents prefer to approach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A key principle: no one-size-fits-all solution<\/a>. The game enables adolescents to set personalized goals, track their progress visually, and celebrate small wins. Daily micro-tasks (like a short walk) and weekly challenges (like trying a new sport) are built into the gameplay. To add a social element, players can also share their progress\u2014such as photos of completed challenges\u2014with their group. This adds motivation but also requires thoughtful integration within the therapeutic context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These sessions showed just how much energy and creativity are released when young people feel heard. Bas Altenburg (game designer at 8D Games): \u201cWe go into these sessions looking for unfiltered input. That not only leads to better design but also creates real, equal conversations where vulnerability is no barrier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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