The effect of computer games on sustain attention and working memory in elementary boy students with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorders

Attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder is a common childhood disorder which finding an effective treatment to decrease its symptoms is very important. This research aimed to investigate the effect of computer games on sustains attention and working memory in elementary boy students with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.
This research was a queasy-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design. The statistical population included all elementary boy students with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder that referred to counseling centers of Pakdasht city in 2015. Totally 30 students were selected through available sampling method and randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group educated 12 sessions of 60 minutes by computer games method. To assess sustain attention and working memory, CPT and N-back computerized tests were used respectively. Data were analyzed by analysis of covariance method and with using the SPSS-19 software.
The results showed the mean and standard deviation of sustain attention and working memory before the intervention in the computer games group were 121/86±12/73 and 33/43±6/86 respectively. But after the intervention, the mean and standard deviation of them become 148/23±11/18 and 43/62±7/29 respectively. Also, the other result showed that the computer games method significantly led to increase sustain attention and working memory in elementary boy students with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (PThe results of this research suggest that therapists and clinical psychologists use from computer games method to increase sustain attention and working memory in students with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.