Currently submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jun 3, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Jun 5, 2026 - Jul 31, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Effect of Digital Technology-Based Interventions on Core Symptoms and Cognitive Function in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, characterised by core symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention, in addition to cognitive impairments that compromise physical and psychological development. Digital technology-based interventions have emerged as a promising approach for ameliorating both core symptoms and cognitive impairments. However, a comprehensive evidence base supporting their efficacy is lacking.
Objective:
Objective:
This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of digital interventions on core symptoms and cognitive impairments in children with ADHD.
Methods:
Methods:
Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest were systematically searched using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials. Effect sizes were pooled under a random-effects model, and heterogeneity across studies was evaluated using the I² statistic. Publication bias was assessed using Egger’s regression and Begg’s rank correlation tests. Sensitivity analyses were performed by switching from a random-effects model to a fixed-effects model to confirm the results’ robustness.
Results:
Results:
Thirty-seven randomised controlled trials were included, encompassing four types of digital interventions: computer-based interventions, serious video games, exergames, and virtual reality. Digital interventions significantly alleviated core symptoms and cognitive impairments, with improvements in the former primarily attributable to serious video games (P = .02) and those in the latter mainly attributable to computer-based interventions (P = .04) and serious video games (P = .02).
Conclusions:
Conclusions:
Thus, digital interventions can significantly alleviate core symptoms and cognitive impairments in children with ADHD. Future research should consider further optimising trial designs and conducting targeted analyses, such as subgroup analyses by symptom subtype and age stratification, to enhance intervention efficacy. Clinical Trial: Trial Registration: PROSPEROKeywords: ADHD; children; digital technology-based interventions; core symptoms; cognitive function; meta-analysis CRD420261399517; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261399517
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