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SAGE Publications, Journal of Attention Disorders, 2(24), p. 326-335, 2018

DOI: 10.1177/1087054718759751

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Virtual Remediation Versus Methylphenidate to Improve Distractibility in Children With ADHD: A Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial Study

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

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.