JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties in attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. These difficulties can result in pervasive and longstanding psychological distress and social, academic, and occupational impairments.

Objective:

This systematic review investigates the effectiveness and user experience (ie, safety, usability, acceptability, and attrition) outcomes of immersive virtual reality (VR) interventions for cognitive rehabilitation in people with ADHD and identifies research gaps and avenues for future research in this domain.

Methods:

Peer-reviewed journal articles that appraised the treatment impact of any immersive VR-based intervention on cognitive abilities in people of all ages with ADHD were eligible for inclusion. The following databases were searched up until November 2024: Cochrane Library, IEEE Explore Digital Library, PsycINFO, PubMED, Scopus, and Web of Science. Records were screened on title and abstract information after deduplication, leading to full text appraisal of the remaining records. Findings from eligible articles were extracted into a standardized coding sheet before being tabulated and reported with a narrative synthesis.

Results:

Out of 1046 records identified, 15 articles met inclusion criteria. Immersive VR-based interventions for people with ADHD were generally effective in improving cognitive abilities, such as attention, memory, and executive functioning. User experience outcomes were also generally positive with low levels of simulator sickness and minimal attrition reported during VR-based treatment.

Conclusions:

Immersive VR-based interventions hold promise for effectively, safely, and rapidly treating cognitive deficits in children and adults with ADHD. However, more studies are required to examine their longitudinal impact beyond treatment cessation.