The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Intervention on Sustained Attention, Divided Attention, Impulsivity of Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) research is of great interest due to the prevalence of 9%-17% among Iranian children and its negative effects on several aspects of life, including students' academic future. This study evaluates the effectiveness of virtual reality therapy plus Ritalin use versus Ritalin consumption alone on sustained attention, divided attention, and impulsivity in children diagnosed with this disorder.

This was a semi-experimental study with a control group with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up designs. The statistical population consisted of 30 children randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups recruited by convenience sampling. The experimental group participated in twelve 90-minute virtual reality intervention sessions. The Integrated Visual and Auditory (IVA-2) Continuous Performance Test was utilized to collect data, which were then analyzed using MANOVA in SPSS-26.

In addition to continuing to take Ritalin, the virtual reality group showed considerable improvement in all research parameters, and their scores were significantly higher than those in the group that continued to take Ritalin alone (p<0.05). Moreover, the observed effects were persistent after 45 days of follow-up.

The results of this study demonstrate that virtual reality therapy effectively addresses cognitive difficulties in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ages seven to twelve. It is suggested that therapists employ virtual reality therapy to help these children's challenges since it can significantly enhance the efficacy of Ritalin.