Assessing Goal Disengagement Using a Digital, Card-Based Game: A Proof of Concept Study

Sebastian Unger, Hana Minařík, Thomas Ostermann

2025

Abstract

The distinction between goal engagement (GE) and goal disengagement (GD) as central psychological processes is supported by several theories of developmental regulation. However, although there has been research on both, research on GD has been rather neglected, especially when it comes to behavioral methods for its assessment. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to evaluate the feasibility of such a behavioral method by placing a homogeneous group of participants in a situation where they need to distinguish whether the effort to solve a digital, card-based game leads to successful goal achievement or to frustration. The data from this group revealed no significant differences in the participants' behavior over the course of the game. Nonetheless, some tendencies in the number of repetitions and the number of cards collected until the occurrence of a GD could be found when differentiating between participants who adhered to their goals more persistently and those who disengaged more frequently. Overall, the game may have potential for both replacing previous assessment methods and identifying suitable individuals for long-term rehabilitation and behavioral therapies, but further research is required for application in a clinical setting.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Unger S., Minařík H. and Ostermann T. (2025). Assessing Goal Disengagement Using a Digital, Card-Based Game: A Proof of Concept Study. In Proceedings of the 18th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies - Volume 2: HEALTHINF; ISBN 978-989-758-731-3, SciTePress, pages 698-704. DOI: 10.5220/0013254100003911

in Bibtex Style

@conference{healthinf25,
author={Sebastian Unger and Hana Minařík and Thomas Ostermann},
title={Assessing Goal Disengagement Using a Digital, Card-Based Game: A Proof of Concept Study},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 18th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies - Volume 2: HEALTHINF},
year={2025},
pages={698-704},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013254100003911},
isbn={978-989-758-731-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 18th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies - Volume 2: HEALTHINF
TI - Assessing Goal Disengagement Using a Digital, Card-Based Game: A Proof of Concept Study
SN - 978-989-758-731-3
AU - Unger S.
AU - Minařík H.
AU - Ostermann T.
PY - 2025
SP - 698
EP - 704
DO - 10.5220/0013254100003911
PB - SciTePress