Table 2 Gamification elements used in the enhancement-treatment group

Narrative context

Narratives contribute to user engagement.

The narrative provides information about the characters and instigates reflection, as well as the establishment of a parallel between the characters’ actions and their own. It guides the behavior and organizes and provides meaning to the activities.

The narrative context within the intervention is created by the activities being conceived as an extension of the narrative/story-tool that children read during the program.

Feedback

Feedback contributes to user engagement.

Feedback allows the user to know how things are going and provides hints on what the user needs to address in order to reach their self-set goals.

The educational psychologist provides personalized feedback to each interaction that children engage in their online group. Examples of feedback include: comments, instigation to reflect about some aspect of their behavior, praise of good choices, discourage not so good choices.

Reputations, ranks, and levels

Reputations, ranks, and levels contribute to user engagement. These elements show the users their place in the hierarchy of the group, promoting competition. It also informs other users about particular competencies or talents and sustained achievements that a user might have.

Children can earn points for performing each activity suggested in the platform. Every week there will be a ranking with the children that acquired points that week and the corresponding badge, as well as with information regarding the cumulative rank of the class. By accumulating points, children will progress and become closer to the end-goal.

Competition under rules that are explicit and enforced

Rules contribute to a sense of fairness among users.

Rules allow competition to work when they are evenly and impersonally applied.

The rules are made explicit to children in the first session and available in the platform. The educational psychologist will oversee compliance with the rules and is the sole responsible for attributing points and badges, and making the ranking.

Teams

Teams contribute to user engagement.

Teams allow interaction opportunities between members, who reveal their personalities and disclose personal experiences while collaborating to reach team goals.

Children are organized into small groups composed by classmates. Children earn points not only for performing the activities but also if their team members perform all the activities. By collaborating to reach team goals, each child will benefit with extra points in the cumulative rank

Time pressure

Time pressure contributes to users’ competition.

Time pressure is one key element to create the sense of “uncertain winning conditions”.

At the end of each week the ranking will be made available with the results of each child’s activity for that week. Children will not be able to go back and complete activities that have already expired.