Using Emotion4Down: Evaluating the Design of a Serious Video Game for Supporting Emotional Awareness with People with Intellectual Disabilities.

This article focuses on the design and evaluation of Emotion4Down, a serious video game developed to support emotional awareness—specifically emotion recognition—in people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities. Down syndrome is identified as the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, often presenting mild to moderate cognitive and emotional challenges, including difficulties in recognizing and expressing emotions. The Emotion4Down game was iteratively designed with input from special education teachers, psychologists, and individuals with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, incorporating customizable features, visual and auditory stimuli, and four interactive activities targeting seven emotions. The evaluation involved a three-stage methodology—pilot study, testing with people with intellectual disabilities, and testing with people with Down syndrome—using mixed methods to assess usability, attention, face processing, and user experience. Results indicated that participants generally had a positive experience, with variations in difficulty across emotions and activities, and highlighted the importance of adapting design and evaluation methods to the cognitive characteristics of the target populations. The study concludes that Emotion4Down shows promise as a tool for supporting emotional awareness but recommends further long-term evaluation with larger and more diverse populations.