Digital Therapy Improves Attention in Children with ADHD

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Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed significant improvements in attention according following a digital therapy intervention called “MindPro1.” Additionally, their parents reported a 100% acceptance rate of the software, with a high compliance rate of 95%.

ADHD is a common chronic condition among school-age children, with an estimated prevalence of 7.2%. Most (70%) kids with ADHD have symptoms that continue into adolescence and 30% to 50% have symptoms into adulthood. The condition has been linked to learning disabilities, anxiety and mood disorders, adjustment disorders and oppositional defiant disorder. These comorbidities can play an important role in a patient’s academic, social and professional life.

“There is an urgent need to find alternatives for ADHD assessment and treatment,” wrote a group of investigators associated with the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China. “In order to solve these problems, child mental health experts around the world have been actively exploring other methods, such as applying new technologies in mental health care. Digital health technology (e-Health) can provide high-quality, low-cost and continuously optimized online tools for efficient and standardized management of more ADHD patients, which will help to significantly alleviate the huge contradiction between the supply and demand of child mental health care services.”

These digital interventions are designed to improve areas of executive function, such as attention, reaction time, motor performance, working memory and cognitive flexibility. They can also improve neuroplasticity and change neuron activity.

Between January to March 2023, 52 children aged 6 to 12 years with ADHD participated in a four-week intervention trial using attention training software (MindPro1) in combination with their regular ADHD treatment. Eligible patients were recruited from Wuhan Children’s Hospital, Hubei Province, in China.

Children were required to complete a 25-minute task game of training five times a week, with two rest days, for four weeks.

Improvements in attention were determined using two assessment tools: the Test of Attention Variables ADHD Cognitions Scale (TOVA-ACS) and the 18-item Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, version IV (SNAP-IV) scale, which were completed by parents. Data including disease history, treatment history, demographics and other information were collected at baseline.

The median age of participants was 8.5 years, and most were male (45 males vs 7 females).

Overall, the study showed that the digital therapy was effective—with significant improvements in objective attention assessment data and the attention function assessment scale—and was well-accepted by parents. The SNAP-IV-Parent scale showed more than 30% improvement in response rate from baseline, which was better compared with similar existing products. Additionally, statistically significant improvements were observed regarding the TOVA-ACS score.

Although there were some mild adverse reactions in a small number of cases (7.69%), they were temporary and resolved within two days. No serious adverse events were observed, and no participant requested to stop the training due to an adverse event.

Investigators said the small sample size, without randomization or blind control, limited the study. Additionally, kids with severe comorbidities were not included in the trial with the exception of those with tic disorders and language development disorders, despite the high prevalence of comorbidities among this patient population.

“This study provides evidence that 4 weeks of treatment has at least 4 weeks of stable effects, and continued research can lead to continuous improvement of certain results,” investigators concluded. “It will be important to continue studying the effects of repeated treatments to better guide the intensity of treatment.”