An immersive virtual reality-based application for treating ADHD: A remote evaluation of acceptance and usability

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Pediatric Psychology

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting children.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers a novel digital approach for ADHD rehabilitation.
• This study evaluated a VR application designed to enhance attentional components in children with ADHD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acceptance and usability of a VR application for children with ADHD.
• To evaluate the feasibility and meaningfulness of remote assessment of the VR application.
• To gather expert feedback for future development and validation.

Main Methods:

• Twenty clinical experts (neuro and psychomotor therapists) evaluated the VR application.
• The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM-3) questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used.
• Six 30-minute sessions were conducted for the evaluation.

Main Results:

• Experts showed high acceptance of the VR system, with most questionnaire constructs scoring above 4.
• Interviews revealed the application's versatility for ADHD heterogeneity and provided insights for improvements.
• Remote evaluation was deemed feasible and satisfactory by participants.

Conclusions:

• The VR application is user-friendly and well-accepted by clinical experts.
• Results support a future validation study with children.
• The study highlights VR's potential in ADHD rehabilitation and remote therapeutic delivery.