Designing a Narrative-Based Video Game for Adolescents Coping with a Parent's Cancer.

We developed the narrative video game Sophia that immerses users in the story of a 13-year-old girl during her father's 18-month battle with glioblastoma and her journey toward resilience during her high school years following his passing. The game is designed to engage adolescents coping with parental cancer in multiple gameplay modes and levels, the character, and the outcome of the story as a way to build connections and explore the themes of illness, dying, bereavement, and resilience. The scenes at each level correspond to the stages of glioblastoma illness as well as the teenage milestones she passes through without her father (e.g. seeing her friends' fathers at school events, trying out for sports teams, learning to drive, and applying for college). Our next step is to utilize a stakeholder advisory board to review content and make suggestions for adaptations. Finally, we will evaluate the usability, feasibility, acceptability, perception, and impact of the game on adolescent participants experiencing parental cancer and/or the loss of a parent from cancer.