Virtual Remediation Versus Methylphenidate to Improve Distractibility in Children With ADHD: A Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial Study: J Atten Disord

Objective: Virtual environments have been used to assess children with ADHD but have never been tested as therapeutic tools. We tested a new virtual classroom cognitive remediation program to improve symptoms in children with ADHD. Method: In this randomized clinical trial, 51 children with ADHD (7-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of attention disorders 2020, Vol.24 (2), p.326-335
Main Authors: Bioulac, S., Micoulaud-Franchi, J. A., Maire, Jenna, Bouvard, M. P., Rizzo, A. A., Sagaspe, P., Philip, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Life Sciences
Santé publique et épidémiologie
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Summary:Objective: Virtual environments have been used to assess children with ADHD but have never been tested as therapeutic tools. We tested a new virtual classroom cognitive remediation program to improve symptoms in children with ADHD. Method: In this randomized clinical trial, 51 children with ADHD (7-11 years) were assigned to a virtual cognitive remediation group, a methylphenidate group, or a psychotherapy group. All children were evaluated before and after therapy with an ADHD Rating Scale, a Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and a virtual classroom task. Results: After therapy by virtual remediation, children exhibited significantly higher numbers of correct hits on the virtual classroom and CPT. These improvements were equivalent to those observed with methylphenidate treatment. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates for the first time that a cognitive remediation program delivered in a virtual classroom reduces distractibility in children with ADHD and could replace methylphenidate treatment in specific cases.
ISSN:1087-0547
DOI:10.1177/1087054718759751