Cognitive Training: Brain Game Apps - Research Paper Example

Cognitive Training: Brain Game Apps Given the aspect, notion and line of research involved in this study, it is a cross or a mix of qualitative and quantitative research. In principle, this would be an exploratory research since it would be concerned with articulating and considering the effectiveness of the brain game applications to patients and people living with mild cognitive impairment. This is to mention that it would examine any changes in the quality of life or welfare of the patients. Similarly, it would also consider the ease on the parts of the caregivers relative to taking care of the people living with mild cognitive impairment (Sitzer, Twamley & Jeste, 2006). In retrospect, the qualitative aspect would focus on the general change or improvement in the life of the patients, their caregivers, families and the society at large of the mild cognitive impairment patients before, during and after the employment of the brain game apps. The quantitative aspect would focus on the numerical of improvement or otherwise effected due to the stimuli that would be introduced in the form of the brain game apps. For instance, what percentage of percentage of patients recovered fully or showed maximum change and improvements, what percentage did not show any signs of changes amongst any other aspects. In principle, this study would be exploratory in nature without any static hypothesis. Conventionally, exploratory research approaches do not require hypotheses and this study would not be an exception. Instead, it would operate within the guiding frameworks of considering the actual impact or effect that brain game aps have on mild cognitive impairment. Respondents These are the direct participants of the research whose opinion and input would be valuable to help the research process infer the findings. To begin with, the caregivers of the patients with mild cognitive impairment would be the primary respondents. The virtue of their position as caregivers qualifies them since they are the people who monitor the progress and any changes that may accrue in the lives of the patients. In rhetoric sense and aspect, they would detail and explain or contextualize the infinite small changes or improvements in their lives due to the stimuli of brain game apps. Secondly, the families of the patients such as brothers, spouses would also gauge the changes or impact in the quality of life relative to the stimuli (Cherniack, 2011). It is important to note and mention that the family members are the people who are best placed to explain the level of intelligence, memory acuity, level of engagement and any other mental progress before, during and after the introduction of the stimuli. They would explain the changes, whether positive or negative occasioned as a result of the introduction of the stimuli. Medics and experts on psychosocial dynamics would also give their informed opinion and analysis on the situation. Their professional expediency and disposition qualifies them to be enjoined as research participants. Lastly, the people living with mild cognitive impairment would also form be the respondents’ body since they are directly concerned or involved and best placed to explain their mental situations at any given point in time. Assumptions of the study Tentatively, it is assumed that the patient with MCI would be observed over a considerable point of time prior, during and after the introduction of the stimuli. The time lags and gap must be sufficient or critical to allow the research process to make any reasonable inferences and findings. Secondly, the stimuli must have an effect on the psychosocial dynamics of the patient even if it is a small positive or negative effect. This is to mention that the stimuli must have been considered to be effective or at the very minimum some an effect on the life of the patient living with mild cognitive impairment. Also important is the assumption that all the patients with MCI to be considered for the study are of the same social and economic class. Socio-economic parameters may have an effect or impact in the outcome and life of MCI patient (Cherniack, 2011). Similarly, the patients would be exposed to the same parameters and condition of brain app games. In principle, this implies that all the patients living with mild cognitive impairment would be exposed to the same type of games over the same period of time. Limitations The only drawback is that there would be no static measure of the level of mild cognitive impairment. This is to say that there is no single unit or standardized caliber of measure to gauge the level of progress, given the exploratory or qualitative nature of research. In retrospect, this is to say and mention that there are mathematically static or significant scale to measure the progress or delineate such implications and progresses. Review of literature In research process and studies, this is the part which is concerned with the aspect of the existing body of knowledge and information. This is to mention that it includes all the things that have been done and all the studies considered on the subject by other researchers in the past concerning the same subject and notion. Intuitively, this section considers what other researchers, scholars and thinkers have done regarding the same topic of the effect of brain game apps in mild cognitive impairment patients. According to (Cherniack, 2011), video games have a prospective and a likelihood that brain games apps such as patient empowerment exercise video games which are clinically referred to as (PE Game) are effectivity. From the outset, PE Games are activity packed designed to improve a fighting spirit, resilience and empowerment of the cognitive abilities of a patient. This is so because the visual dynamics and changes of a brain game such as an engaging video game emulsifies the attention and concentration of a player fully. If such a brain game is repeated, the resilience, fighting spirit and natural cognitive abilities would increase accordingly. Subsequently, such games act as non-pharmacological measure which would improve the cognitive acuity and resilience of such a person. This is occasioned by the fact that such games encourage positive emotions through a reward system or program. The mind then grows and is trained to expect such a reward if the patient o player scores well. According to (Talavage, Nauman, Breedlove, Yoruk, Dye, Morigaki & Leverenz, 2014), games evoke positive emotions and make people feel happy and motivated. The reward is also higher if the patient suffers from a mental or cognitive disorder, because the happiness or motivation would be higher. Conventionally, neuronal chemicals which create positive attitude and energy are emitted when people play games due to the engaging nature of such games. Thus, such games may be used to hitch the brain and cognitive awareness of the patient to fully. The positive attitude could thus be used to add to other medical or psychosocial ventures during the therapy and realize higher results in terms of improved speed and memory enhancement. Researchers, scholars and medical thinkers such as (Sitzer, Twamley & Jeste, 2006), have explored the option and approach of using prospects and chances of using technology to help the society address such issues. They reason and mention that it would be fair to embrace the ever changing face and aspect of technology to tackle mental disorders of people in the society. If technology has shown that other mental disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), may be tackled by video games and other technological ventures. In a comparative scale and tone, it would be safe to assert, mention and postulate that such or related visual games such as brain game apps may be used to correct the same situation and conditions. This text mentions that since video games have been used to bring smiles and joy to the lives of patients, medics, families and society at large, more studies and inventions ought to be done to consider the cognitive impairments. Methods of data collection, presentation and analysis Primary and secondary sources of information and data would be used for the study where the research participants or the respondents would be the primary sources. The literature review and information from other online sources such as website would be used as secondary sources of information and data. The qualitative information and data would be considered by collapsing the commonalities together then they would be coded as such. The quantitative information and data would then be used to draw graphs, charts and other appropriate forms. In retrospect, the qualitative data and information would be of use to model and justify the quantitative finding. In case there is any variation in the data findings and inferences, it would be critical to correct such anomalies using the Analysis of Variation or the ANOVA technique. Conclusion The above essay has articulate the chronological move and steps of the research study undertaken on the mild cognitive impairment patients on the basis of brain game apps. It has also articulated the qualitative and quantitative approaches relative to the quality of life and any considerable improvements done due to brain game apps. It is important to mention and stress the fact that if the general welfare of a patient living with MCI improves then the role of the caregiver would also be improved and bettered accordingly or in a corresponding value and measure. References Cherniack, E. P. (2011). Not just fun and games: applications of virtual reality in the identification and rehabilitation of cognitive disorders of the elderly. Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 6(4), 283-289. Talavage, T. M., Nauman, E. A., Breedlove, E. L., Yoruk, U., Dye, A. E., Morigaki, K. E., ... & Leverenz, L. J. (2014). Functionally-detected cognitive impairment in high school football players without clinically-diagnosed concussion. Journal of Neurotrauma, 31(4), 327-338. Sitzer, D. I., Twamley, E. W., & Jeste, D. V. (2006). Cognitive training in Alzheimer's disease: a meta‐analysis of the literature. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 114(2), 75-90. Read More