Virtual Remediation Versus Methylphenidate to Improve Distractibility in Children With ADHD: A Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial Study
J Atten Disord. 2018-03-22; : 108705471875975
DOI: 10.1177/1087054718759751
Read on PubMed
ahead of print]
Virtual Remediation Versus Methylphenidate to Improve Distractibility in Children
With ADHD: A Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial Study.
Bioulac S(1)(2), Micoulaud-Franchi JA(1)(2), Maire J(3), Bouvard MP(4), Rizzo
AA(5), Sagaspe P(1)(2), Philip P(1)(2).
Author information:
(1)1 University of Bordeaux, SANPSY, Bordeaux, France.
(2)2 Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Clinique du sommeil, France.
(3)3 University of Bordeaux, INSERM U1219, Bordeaux, France.
(4)4 Pôle Universitaire Psychiatrie Enfants et Adolescents, Bordeaux, France.
(5)5 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
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.
DOI: 10.1177/1087054718759751
PMID: 29562853