Virtual reality interventions for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatrics
• Psychology

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presents significant challenges in children and adolescents.
• Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology for therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the efficacy of VR interventions for ADHD in children and adolescents.
• To evaluate VR's effectiveness alone or with pharmacological treatments.
• To assess different VR training modalities and dosage effects.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 22 studies (RCTs, quasi-experimental, open-label) from 2001-2025.
• Analysis of VR feasibility, effectiveness, training modalities, and dosage.
• Inclusion of studies on VR interventions for ADHD management.

Main Results:

• VR interventions significantly improve core ADHD symptoms, executive functions, emotional regulation, and social skills.
• Long-term interventions (≥8 weeks) yield more pronounced and sustained benefits.
• Interactive game training was the most studied modality, showing distinct effects.

Conclusions:

• VR interventions are a feasible and effective treatment for ADHD in youth, with high adherence rates.
• Longer intervention durations and specific modalities like interactive games enhance outcomes.
• Further large-scale RCTs with standardized measures are needed to optimize VR for ADHD.