Mightier Video Game Pilot Program with Magellan Healthcare Leads to 45% Improvement in Symptoms for Children with Autism

Rhea-AI Summary

Mightier has released results from a pilot program showing their video game platform significantly improves emotional regulation in children with autism. Conducted in collaboration with Magellan Healthcare, 81% of children using Mightier in conjunction with ABA therapy exhibited behavioral improvement, compared to 55% with ABA alone— a notable 45% increase. The program, involving just one hour of play weekly over three months, also led to reduced aggressive behavior and decreased stress for parents. With ongoing NIMH-funded research, Mightier aims to support children with various mental health disorders.

Positive

• 81% of children using Mightier with ABA therapy showed behavioral improvement, compared to 55% using ABA alone.
• Mightier reduced aggressive behavior in children with autism by more than twice compared to ABA alone.
• Families reported decreased stress and increased access to resources.

Negative

• None.

BOSTON, May 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mightier, provider of a ground-breaking, clinically-proven video game system for teaching children emotional regulation, today released results of a first of its kind pilot program that studied the impact of using Mightier's video game platform to support treatment of children with Autism.

Mightier collaborated with Magellan Healthcare, the behavioral and specialty healthcare segment of Magellan Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGLN), to provide families access to the Mightier program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed 81% of children who played Mightier in conjunction with applied behavior analysis (ABA) had parents report behavioral improvement, compared to 55% of parents reporting behavioral improvement from ABA alone, representing a 45% improvement in symptoms for children with autism. To realize this improvement, children played as little as one hour per week for three months. Most notably, adding Mightier to ABA reduced aggressive behavior in children with autism by over twice as much compared to ABA alone, and led to reductions in stress for parents and families. 

"It is important to understand families as a whole, and to not only look at children's symptoms when deploying an intervention. Families using Mightier reported decreased stress, an increase in confidence, and an increase in access to resources relative to control – gains that point to improvements for the child as well as higher functionality for parents and families," said Matthew Miller, senior vice president, behavioral health, Magellan Healthcare.

Used in the home, Mightier's innovative technology was developed at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The program combines 25 video games with an integrated heart rate monitoring band, allowing kids to see their heart rate fluctuate as they face challenges within the game. As the child's heart rate increases, children are prompted to apply coping skills, such as deep breathing, to help manage their stress and frustration.

"Mightier is a proven way to help children build emotional regulation skills, especially those who have a tough time with tantrums, anger, aggression, irritability and feelings of anxiety. It is immediate and scalable, meaning families get help right in the moment of need, and avoid the wait associated with starting new services. This is particularly important in the wake of the pandemic as demands for mental health care rise  and there is a shortage of providers," said Jason Kahn Ph.D., chief science officer and co-founder of Mightier.

Earlier this year, Mightier announced a two-year NIMH-funded research project that will examine the impact of the Mightier games on improving the lives of children with a broader range of disorders, such as ADHD, anxiety and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Enrollment is now underway throughout the Magellan network. Two hundred members with a wide variety of mental health conditions are expected to be recruited.

"Mightier can successfully engage children and augment care in ways that were not previously possible," said Miller. "Magellan is continuously incorporating innovative strategies into treatment routines and Mightier is one of those examples."

For more information on the Mightier-Magellan Healthcare pilot program visit: https://www.mightier.com/asdpilot/

About Mightier: Mightier is a Boston-based startup on a mission to empower every child to build emotional strength. Mightier pairs video games with clinically validated strategies to build emotional resilience and confidence. The approach is backed by a decade of clinical research at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and has been shown to reduce outbursts by 62 percent, oppositional behavior by 40 percent, and family stress by 19 percent. For more information, visit Mightier.com.

About Magellan Healthcare: Magellan Healthcare, Inc., the healthcare business unit of Magellan Health, Inc., offers solutions for complex conditions in the areas of behavioral health, and medical specialty treatment. Magellan Healthcare serves commercial health plans, employers, state and local governments, and the Federal government, including the Department of Defense. For more information, visit MagellanHealthcare.com.

About Magellan Health: Magellan Health, Inc., is a leader in managing the fastest growing, most complex areas of health, including special populations, complete pharmacy benefits and other specialty areas of healthcare. Magellan supports innovative ways of accessing better health through technology, while remaining focused on the critical personal relationships that are necessary to achieve a healthy, vibrant life. Magellan's customers include health plans and other managed care organizations, employers, labor unions, various military and governmental agencies and third-party administrators. For more information, visit MagellanHealth.com.

Media Contact:
Andrea LePain
eMedia Junction 
andrea@emediajunction.com 
617-275-8112

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SOURCE Mightier

FAQ

What are the results of Mightier's pilot program with Magellan Healthcare for children with autism?

The pilot program showed 81% of children using Mightier in conjunction with ABA therapy had behavioral improvements, a 45% increase over ABA alone.

How did Mightier affect aggressive behavior in children with autism?

Mightier led to over twice the reduction in aggressive behavior compared to ABA therapy alone.

What is the duration and frequency of the Mightier program for children?

Children played Mightier for just one hour per week over three months to achieve behavioral improvements.

What does the ongoing NIMH-funded research project aim to explore?

The research project will examine the impact of Mightier games on various mental health disorders including ADHD and anxiety.

How does Mightier help children build emotional regulation skills?

Mightier integrates video games with heart rate monitoring to help children apply coping strategies during gameplay.