Adjuvant Therapy for Attention in Children with ADHD Using Game-Type Digital Therapy

Seon-Chil Kim; Hojun Lee; Hyun-Suk Lee; Gaeun Kim; Jeong-Heon Song

doi:10.3390/ijerph192214982

Adjuvant Therapy for Attention in Children with ADHD Using Game-Type Digital Therapy

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 14;19(22):14982. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192214982.

Authors

Seon-Chil Kim¹, Hojun Lee^{2

3}, Hyun-Suk Lee⁴, Gaeun Kim⁵, Jeong-Heon Song⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea.
² Department of Psychiatry, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea.
³ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Woori Children's Development Clinic, Affiliated with Woori Soft, 175, Wolbae-ro, Dalseo-gu, Daegu 42781, Republic of Korea.
⁵ College of Nursing, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea.
⁶ Woorisoft Inc., 175, Wolbae-ro, Dalseo-gu, Daegu 42781, Republic of Korea.

Abstract

Children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) require early intervention and sustained treatment. This study used a game-based digital treatment planning NeuroWorld DTx to analyze the impact on attention and cognitive function in children with ADHD. Thirty children diagnosed with ADHD were recruited and subjected to a four-week NeuroWorld DTx digital treatment. To assess the impact of the digital therapeutic therapy on children's attention, we used the comprehension attention test (CAT) and Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS). Clinical global impression (CGI) and the Korean-child behavior checklist (K-CBCL 6-18) were used to examine the degree of improvement in ADHD. After four weeks, significant differences in the sensitivity and response style indices were noted, as compared with the baseline in the CAT test; in the case of K-ARS and CGI, a moderate decrease in ADHD was confirmed. The study achieved better results for the "total behavior problems" belonging to the K-CBCL assessment. Game-based digital therapy intervention can be a treatment method that elicits interest and satisfaction in children with ADHD and can be used as an adjunct to drug therapy to improve the quality of life and strengthen attention in children with symptoms of ADHD.

Keywords: attention; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); game-based digital therapy (DTx).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / diagnosis
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / drug therapy
Combined Modality Therapy
Humans
Problem Behavior*
Quality of Life
Recreation Therapy*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Technology Innovation Program-Advanced Technology Center (Project No. 20014295) funded By the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE, Korea).