JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, significantly impacting the psychological, social, and academic well-being of affected children and adolescents. Traditional ADHD diagnostic methods often rely on subjective reports, which can be biased. Recent advancements in serious games offer potential for objective assessment tools.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the discriminative and concurrent validity of the serious game Attention Slackline in assessing ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents.

Methods:

A sample of 32 children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD and 39 healthy controls participated in the study. Participants were divided into two age groups: children (aged 6-11) and adolescents (aged 12-17). The serious game Attention Slackline, designed to measure attention and impulsivity, was administered alongside established ADHD assessment scales (Child and Adolescent Assessment System (SENA) and ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS-IV). Performance in the game was compared across ADHD and control groups using multivariate ANCOVA, controlling for age and sex, and correlated with self-reported and family-reported ADHD symptoms.

Results:

Children with ADHD demonstrated significantly worse performance on Attention Slackline compared to controls, while no significant differences were found in adolescents. Task performance correlated negatively with family-reported hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in children, but no significant correlations were observed in adolescents.

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that Attention Slackline is a valid tool for assessing ADHD in children, particularly for hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms, but not as effective for adolescents. The gamified nature of the serious game may enhance engagement, reducing attentional problems but effectively revealing impulsivity tendencies. The age-dependent validity aligns with previous research indicating that Continuous Performance Test paradigms are less effective in older populations due to developmental maturation. Attention Slackline demonstrates potential as a complementary tool for ADHD diagnosis in children, offering an engaging and objective assessment of hyperactivity/impulsivity. Future research should focus on larger samples to establish clinical cut-off points and further validate the game's efficacy across different age groups.