Enhancing Engagement in Speech Rehabilitation through Gamified Interaction and Emotional Design

Abstract

Speech rehabilitation systems often suffer from low user engagement due to repetitive training processes and limited emotional support. To address this issue, this study proposes an integrated interaction design framework combining gamification, emotional design, and multisensory compensation mechanisms for speech rehabilitation. Based on User-Centered Design (UCD) principles and Norman’s emotional design theory, a mobile application named Yinshu was developed, incorporating gamified tasks, adaptive difficulty adjustment, AI emotional companion interaction, and a “visualizing sound” feedback mechanism. To evaluate the system, 40 participants completed a customized short-form User Engagement Scale (UES) questionnaire after using the application. The results showed positive evaluations across all dimensions, with mean scores above 4.0 on a 5-point Likert scale. Gamified rewards improved motivation and self-efficacy, while emotional companion interaction reduced feelings of isolation and enhanced psychological engagement. In addition, the visual feedback system effectively improved users’ understanding of pronunciation accuracy and reduced cognitive barriers during training. The findings suggest that integrating gamification and emotional design can effectively enhance engagement in speech rehabilitation, providing practical insights for future digital rehabilitation system design.