play2PREVENT Lab

?? ???????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????? ???????? (??????????)?kicks off today! This annual observance is all about educating and empowering youth with facts about drugs and alcohol. Knowledge is power, and at the play2PREVENT Lab, we're passionate about equipping teens and young adults with the information and skills they need to make smart, informed choices about their health. Learn more about NDAFW here: https://lnkd.in/ehRfAxi2 #NDAFW #PreventionMatters #SubstanceUsePrevention #YouthEmpowerment #HealthAwareness

Exciting morning at the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine 2025 Annual Meeting in Baltimore! ?? p2P Lab Deputy Director Tyra Pendergrass Boomer presented a poster showcasing our latest NIDA-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the efficacy of ??????????????????—a serious game designed to prevent opioid misuse and support adolescent mental health. ????? The presentation highlighted key RCT components, including participant screening and enrollment, the serious game intervention, and follow-up data collection, along with compelling baseline data on anxiety and depression symptoms reported by participants. ?? Great work, Tyra, on sharing research that makes a real impact on adolescent health! ?? #SAHM2025 #AdolescentHealth #MentalHealth #OpioidPrevention #RCT?

Exciting morning at the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine 2025 Annual Meeting in Baltimore! ?? p2P Lab Deputy Director Tyra Pendergrass Boomer presented a poster showcasing our latest NIDA-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the efficacy of ??????????????????—a serious game designed to prevent opioid misuse and support adolescent mental health. ????? The presentation highlighted key RCT components, including participant screening and enrollment, the serious game intervention, and follow-up data collection, along with compelling baseline data on anxiety and depression symptoms reported by participants. ?? Great work, Tyra, on sharing research that makes a real impact on adolescent health! ?? #SAHM2025 #AdolescentHealth #MentalHealth #OpioidPrevention #RCT?

???????? ???????????????????? ????????????????! (?? drop) We’re thrilled to share that we’ve officially wrapped up data collection for our randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of ??????????????????! With support from the NIDA Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative, this journey began six years ago when we created ??????????????????—an innovative serious game designed to prevent opioid misuse and promote adolescent mental health.? ? We’ve now completed 12-month follow-up data for 532 participants!! To put that in perspective, that’s more people than:? ? The entire incoming freshman class at some liberal arts colleges??? ? The number of pages in a typical non-fiction book ?? ? ? Two full Boeing 737 airplanes ????? ? The number of different mammal species in the US ????? ? This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of so many incredible people. A huge THANK YOU to our project managers, post-graduate associates, and the incredible participating schools and students across Connecticut! Your efforts are paving the way for a healthier future for youth! Now, onto the next phase—data analysis and publications! Stay tuned for exciting insights ahead. ???? #PlaySmart #SeriousGames #RCT #OpioidPrevention #YouthHealth #AdolescentHealth #MentalHealth?Lynn Fiellin, MD Tyra Pendergrass Boomer Katie Haile, MPH

????????????? ???? ?????????? ???????????? ?????? – a powerful reminder that prevention, education, and action can save lives! ? ??Most tobacco use—including vaping—starts in adolescence. Right now, 1.63 million middle and high school students in the United States use e-cigarettes. ?????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ????????????.?Prevention is key, and with the right tools, we can help young people avoid starting or continuing to smoke or vape.? ? At play2PREVENT Lab, we’re using the power of serious games to help young people make healthier choices. ?? Our game ?????????????????????? equips youth with ????????????????-???????????? ???????????? ???? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????? ??????????????, ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????, ?????? ?????????? ???????????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ?????? ??????????????????. ?? ? Let’s commit to providing young people the tools to thrive. Together, we can create a healthier future with fewer cancer cases! Lynn Fiellin, MD?Tyra Pendergrass Boomer Katie Haile, MPH Learn more about ?????????????????????? here: https://lnkd.in/exrHUS26 ? #WorldCancerDay #PreventionMatters #YouthHealth #SeriousGames? #TobaccoPrevention #smokeSCREEN #DigitalHealthInterventions

?? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ?? Earlier this month, the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted the link between alcohol and cancer, emphasizing that even small amounts of alcohol can pose serious health risks. This important message serves as a reminder for us all, especially for young people. At the ???????????????????????? ??????, we’re passionate about developing video games that educate and empower young people to make healthy choices—like avoiding alcohol and drugs that can have lasting health consequences.? ?? ?????? ?????? ?????????? ? Early initiation of alcohol use is linked to a higher likelihood of developing alcohol use disorder in adulthood.? ? Adolescents who drink are more likely to experience long-term health problems, including an increased risk of addiction and serious conditions like cancer. ???????? ?????????????? ?????????? ???????? ??????????????????????: ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? meet young people where they are and give them the knowledge and tools they need to make healthier choices, avoid these risks, and build a healthier future! Lynn Fiellin, MD Tyra Pendergrass Boomer Katie Haile, MPH #PreventionMatters #YouthHealth #Wellness #CancerAwareness #SeriousGames #PlaySmart Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e9BtfRS6

?? ?????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????? ?????????? ?? – the perfect time to shine a spotlight on the importance of mental health, especially for young people. At ???????????????????????? ??????, we’re dedicated to creating serious games that empower young people to make healthy choices, like prioritizing their mental well-being. ? Our newest game,???????????????????, is designed to empower youth with effective coping strategies and the tools they need to take charge of their mental health. ???? ? This month let’s come together to raise awareness about supporting the next generation on their journey to mental wellness. Through innovative digital health interventions like ??????????????????, we can build a future where young people aren’t just surviving—they’re thriving. ????? ? Let’s make mental health a priority!?Lynn Fiellin, MD Tyra Pendergrass Boomer Katie Haile, MPH ? #MentalWellnessMonth #MentalHealthAwareness #DigitalMentalHealth #SeriousGames #DigitalHealthInterventions #PlaySmart?

'?????? ?????? ???????????? ?????? ???? ???????????????? ?????? ????????????! For the past three years, our Lab has been hard at work conducting a randomized controlled trial to evaluate ???????????????????– our innovative serious game designed to prevent opioid misuse and promote mental health in adolescents. ?? Grounded in behavior change theories, ???????????????????empowers players with knowledge ?? about the dangers of opioids while building critical skills like ????refusal and coping techniques. Our goal? Equip young people with the information and tools they need to make healthy decisions! This study, part of the NIDA Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative, involves 532 high school students from across Connecticut. We’re thrilled to share ????’???? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? – with just under 30 participants left to complete follow-up data collection! ???? ??Stay tuned for more updates as we analyze the data and share our findings. Together, we can help youth to ??prevent opioid misuse and prioritize their mental well-being! Lynn Fiellin, MD Tyra Pendergrass Boomer Katie Haile, MPH #PlaySmart #SeriousGames #OpioidPrevention #YouthHealth #AdolescentHealth #MentalHealthMatters

?? ???????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????? ???????????????????????? ?????? ?? We at the play2PREVENT Lab are celebrating a year of milestones and continued partnerships! ?? Together, we’re building a healthier, more resilient future – ?????? ???????? ???? ?? ????????. ?? ????????’?? ???????? ????’???? ???????????????? ?????? ???? ????????: ?? - ???????????????????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????????????? ?? Our Lab moved to the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth after 14 amazing years at Yale University! Thank you to all our collaborators at Yale and across Connecticut who supported us. As part of this new chapter, we rebranded our page – follow us for updates! ?? - ???????????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ?? We were thrilled to share our work at key conferences, including the Society for Prevention Research's 32nd Annual Meeting, SAMHSA's 20th Prevention Day, the 2024 Annual Conference on Adolescent Health, and more! ?? – ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ?? Our ?????????????????? randomized controlled trial is nearing completion! We’ve engaged 532 high school students across 15 Connecticut high schools to help us test the game’s impact as part of the NIDA Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative. ?? – ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ???????????? ?? Our sister partner, start-up company Playbl, received a pitch award from the Dartmouth Innovation Accelerator for Digital Health (DIADH) and was featured in The Boston Globe! ?? – ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????????????? ?? We’ve grown our collaborations both locally and globally! If you’re a current partner or follower, thank you for joining us on this journey. If you’re new here, we invite you to follow our rebranded page for future opportunities to partner. ?? – ???????????????????? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????????? ???????????? Looking ahead, we’re continuing our commitment to designing and evaluating youth-centered digital health tools to promote healthier behaviors and empower the next generation. Here's to a year of growth & gratitude! Lynn Fiellin, MD Tyra Pendergrass Boomer Katie Haile, MPH ?? #play2PREVENT #HealthInnovation #SeriousGames #YouthHealth #PartnersInPrevention #AdolescentHealth #AdolescentWellBeing