Focus Cat: Designing Idle Games to Promote Intermittent Practice and On-Going Adherence of Breathing Exercise for ADHD

Adherence and frequency of play are well-established challenges for serious games that target breathing exercises, because exercises are most effective when practiced in short and frequent sessions. Researchers have recognized that elements of idle games ideally align with many therapeutic use cases because idle games have a frequently repeating gameplay cycle that draws people in for short play sessions. However, there is little research about how idle games can be used to motivate consistent, frequent practice of therapies like breathing exercises that are often recommended for chronic conditions like ADHD. This paper describes the design and implementation of a therapeutic idle game, Focus Cat. This game is designed to help people with ADHD incorporate breathing exercises into their symptom management routine. Our work demonstrates how the unique qualities of idle game design—including short, frequent gameplay sessions, simple mechanics that make mundane tasks engaging and mechanics that pull and push players into and out of active gameplay—can be used for ADHD breathing exercises to improve adherence and frequency of practice.