CONCEPT
HArMnIn card game is a Drug Overdose Prevention Edutainment (DOPE) project that proposes to equip players with knowledge and skills to safely use and reduce the harms of most commonly used drugs including alcohol.
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RATIONALE
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The intent for the proposed game-based drug education project is to enhance and enrich the delivery of harm reduction education programs.
Research is replete with the effectiveness of game-based learning (GBL). Notable and most relevant to harm reduction are;
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The enhancement of self-efficacy,
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The acquisition of declarative knowledge (i.e. facts and information in memory)
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The acquisition of procedural knowledge (i.e. knowledge exercised in the performance of tasks).
(Reference: Sitzmann T., (2011) “A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Instructional Effectiveness of Computer-Based Simulation Games,” Personnel Psychology, pp. 1–65)
The slogan for the project, ‘it all adds up’ reinforces the dangers of excessive or polydrug use.
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The key messaging of the project is a reiteration of Drug Science’s quote on the harms of alcohol adapted to include all drugs as seen below;
‘People who practice harm reduction are not immune to all the risks of their drug(s) of choice but are far more likely to avoid serious harm’.
THE APPROACH
To conduct a systemic search of electronic databases and consultation with harm reduction experts and practitioners in an attempt to capture most of the evidenced harm reduction interventions currently practiced.
Identified interventions will then be categorised into either universal, drug specific interventions or, any other category(s) that may emerge in the process of the project.
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The plot for game mechanics may involve reducing the harms of drugs with appropriate interventions.
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EXPRESSION OF INTERESTS
Contact Inspirado Hubs if you would like to be part of the HArMnIn project, clearly stating your proposed contribution to the project.