| Contamination-related anxiety, or mysophobia, can significantly i mpact d aily life.
Exposure therapy (ET) is a well-established intervention to treat this condition. However,
in-person exposure therapy to treat contamination-related anxiety is challenging due to the
nature of the elements involved. This thesis examines how adaptive and bioadaptive games
can simulate contamination scenarios to support exposure therapy on both virtual reality
(VR) and mobile platforms. It begins with a review of adaptive game design and explains
how feedback mechanisms use physiological signals to improve player engagement. It includes
an experiment with a heart rate-controlled game, where increased stress slows gameplay
and encourages players to manage anxiety. Results suggest this approach aids emotional
regulation and reduces negative emotions. Two contamination-themed games were developed
to simulate exposure scenarios. One was used in a pilot test that confirmed V R E T can
elicit anxiety. The other runs on VR and mobile, using real-time heart rate to detect stress
and pause gameplay to manage stress. Both platforms induced discomfort as intended. VR
triggered stronger physiological responses, while mobile caused more disgust. Overall, the
findings show bioadaptive games can aid exposure t herapy. VR offers immersive, emotionally
balanced experiences, while mobile platforms may better elicit specific emotional reactions.
This work lays a foundation for future research into digital tools for anxiety management
through personalized gameplay.
Keywords: Bioadaptive gameplay, Gamified exposure therapy, Exposure therapy for Mysophobia, Virtual reality exposure therapy, Contamination-related anxiety intervention |