TABLE 1.
Characteristics of the reviewed studies.
| Author | Videogame | Platform | Features | Population (n) | % Male | Procedure | Main findings (significance and effect size) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benzing and Schmidt (2019) | Shape up | Xbox Kinect | Exergame aimed to improve attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, motor ability, and reaction time |
Intervention group (28): mean age = 10.46 (SD = 1.3) Control group (23): mean age = 10.39 (SD = 1.44) |
86.4 | 30 min, three times a week | Intervention group showed faster overall reaction time (p = .049, d = .58), switching trials (p = .029, d = .65) and motor ability (p = .008, d = .80) compared to the control group |
| Bikic et al. (2017) | Scientific brain training and Tetris | PC | Six different programs aimed to improved different areas of cognition |
Intervention group (9) Control group (8) Mean age (all sample) = 15.6 (SD = .99) |
76.5 | 30 min, 5 days a week, for 7 weeks | There are no significant differences between groups on cognition and symptoms of ADHD. Pre–post intragroup measurement showed a significant effect on sustained attention (e.g., p = .0026, d = 1). The control group had significant effects on working memory (p = .0417, d = .88) |
| Bikic et al. (2018) | ACTIVATE | PC | Videogame with different tasks to improve attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and reaction time |
Intervention group (35): Mean age = 9.77 (SD = 1.97) Control group (35): mean age = 10.14 (SD = 1.52) |
84.24 | 6 days a week for 8 weeks | The intervention had no effect on sustained attention. Intervention group showed greater accuracy in planning (p = .006, effect size = 0.30). |
| Bul et al. (2016) | Plan‐It Commander | PC | Serious game focus on management, planning/organizing and cooperation skills |
Intervention group (88): mean age = 9.89 (SD = 1.28) Control group (82): mean age = 9.82 (SD = 1.24) |
80.58 | A max of 65 min, 3 days a week for 20 weeks | The intervention group compared to control group achieved significantly greater improvements on time management skills (p = .004, d = .39), social skill of responsibility (p = .04, d = .04) and working memory (p = .02, d = .51) |
| Bul et al. (2018) | Plan‐It Commander | PC | Serious game focus on management, planning/organizing and cooperation skills |
Intervention group (88) Control group (82) Mean age (all sample) = 9.90 (SD = 1.26) |
82 | A max of 65 min, 3 days a week for 20 weeks | Girls showed the greatest improvements in planning/organization skills in comparison to the total group. Boys with lower levels of hyperactivity and higher levels of conduct disorder symptoms showed more improvements in their planning/organization skills in comparison to the total group (d = .65) |
| Chacko et al. (2014) | Cogmed WMT | PC | Training program to improve verbal and no verbal working memory |
Intervention group (44): mean age = 8.4 (1.4) Control group (41): mean age = 8.4 (1.3) |
77.22 | 30–45 min, 5 days a week for 25 days | Results showed significantly greater improvements in verbal (p = .0050, d = .28), and nonverbal working memory storage (p = .00009, d = 1.17), but no discernible gains in working memory storage plus processing/manipulation |
| Davis et al. (2018) | Project EVO | Ipad | The game is an attention/memory task and a continuous visuomotor “driving” task |
ADHD group (18): mean age = 10.35 (SD = 1.4) ADHD high severity group (22): mean age = 10.2 (SD = 1.26) Non‐ADHD (40): mean age = 10.54 (SD = 1.49) |
56.25 | 30–45 min, 5 days a week for 4 weeks | Results showed significant improvements in attention task (e.g., p = .003, d = .71), and spatial working memory (e.g., p = .014, d = .51), for the ADHD group. There was no change for the non‐ADHD group |
| Dovis et al. (2015) | Braingame Brian | PC | Video game aimed to improve working memory, cognition flexibility, and impulsivity |
Intervention group (31): mean age = 10.6 (SD = 1.4) Control group (30): mean age = 10.5 (SD = 1.3) Partially active group (28): mean age = 10.3 (SD = 1.3) |
79.77 | 35–50 min, 25 sessions | The intervention condition showed improvement on visuospatial short‐term‐memory and working memory (p < .01). Inhibitory performance and interference control only improved in the intervention group and the partially active condition (p < .05). Effect sizes ranged from medium to large |
| Dovis et al. (2019) | Braingame Brian | PC | Video game aimed to improve working memory, cognition flexibility, and impulsivity |
Intervention group (31): mean age = 10.6 (SD = 1.4) Control group (30): mean age = 10.5 (SD = 1.3) |
80.32 | 35–50 min, 25 sessions | Pretraining inhibition (p = .042, R 2 = .049) and cognitive flexibility (p = .017, R 2 = .071) were significant moderators of near transfer, and pretraining working memory (p = .046, R 2 = .040) and cognitive flexibility (p = .03, R 2 = .057) were significant moderators of far transfer |
| García‐Baos et al. (2019) | RECOGNeyes | PC (eye tracker) | The game was designed as an intervention for training visual attention |
Intervention group (14) Control group (14) Mean age (all sample) = 11.05 (SD = 2.54) |
64.29 | 30 min, three times a week for 3 weeks | The intervention group showed an improvement in impulsivity (p = .0067), reaction time (p < .0001), and fixation gaze control (p <.0001). No changes were found in control group |
| García‐Redondo et al. (2019) | Boogies academy and cuibrain | Mobile and tablets | Games based on Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences |
Intervention group (24) Control group (20) Mean age (all sample) = 11.83 (SD = 2.71) |
61.36 | 10 min, 2 days a week, 14 weeks | Results indicated that participants in the intervention group showed significantly higher levels of attention, concentration, and correct responses compared to controls (e.g., p = .001, d = .21) |
| Kollins et al. (2020) | STARS‐ADHD | PC, mobile, and tablet | Videogame that improves attention, working memory, and inhibition |
Intervention group (180): mean age = 9.7 (SD = 1.3) Control group (168): mean age = 9.6 (SD = 1.3) |
71.26 | 25 min, 5 days a week for 4 weeks | The use of the videogame significantly improved performance attention, mean reaction time during infrequent target stimuli, and response variability in patients with ADHD compared with the control group (e.g., p = .0005). The effects from pre‐intervention to postintervention were not different from the control condition |
| Kollins et al. (2021) | STARS‐ADHD | PC, mobile, and tablet | Videogame that improves attention, working memory, and inhibition in children with ADHD |
On stimulants group (130): mean age = 10.6 (SD = 1.75) No stimulants group (76): mean age = 10.5 (SD = 1.82) |
74.8 | 25 min, 5 days a week for 4 weeks | The results showed a change in ADHD related impairment (impairment rating scale [IRS]) after 4 weeks. IRS significantly improved in both groups (on stimulants: p < .001; no stimulants: p < .001) after 4 weeks. IRS, ADHD rating scale (ADHD‐RS: e.g., p < .001, d = .74), and clinical global impressions scale (CGI‐I: e.g., p < .001, d = .81) remained stable during the pause and improved with a second treatment period |
| Lim et al. (2012) | Cogoland | PC | BCI system where the avatar moves if the participant is focused detected by EEG | Intervention (20): mean age = 7.8 (SD = 1.4) | 80 | 30 min, three sessions a week for 3 months | Significant improvement in ADHD symptoms for inattentive symptoms and hyperactive‐impulsive symptom (both p < .01, d = .78–.84). Monthly reinforcement did not significantly improve symptoms |
| Ou et al. (2020) | Fishing master, fruit train, and ocean manager | Virtual reality game console | These videogames train children's attention and cognitive and behavioral performance | Intervention group (3): mean age = 9.67 | 33.33 | 40 min (with a 5 min break after each 10 min session), three times a week for 3 months | The results revealed an improvement in their performance in attention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and oppositional defiance |
| Rajabi et al. (2020) | SmartMind | PC | These games are based on working memory and inhibitory control training |
Intervention group (16): mean age = 10.20 (SD = 1.03) Control group (16): mean age = 10.05 (SD = .83) |
100 | 45 min, three times a week for 3 months | The effect of neurofeedback training on visual performance (visual attention (p < .01, Eta = .41) and visual response control (p < .05, Eta = .22) was significant. There was no significant effect on auditory attention and auditory response control |
| Rodrigo‐Yanguas et al. (2021) | The Secret Trail of Moon | PC (VR glasses) | Serious video game designed for cognitive training related to ADHD symptoms and executive dysfunction |
Intervention group (37): mean age = 13.78 (SD = 2.28) Combined subtype (21): mean age = 13.38 (SD = 2.16) Inattentive subtype (16): mean age = 14.31 (SD = 2.39) |
68 | Cognitive training (25 min) and exploring the forest (10 min) | There are no significant differences comparing the ADHD combined subtype to the inattentive subtype |
| Weerdmeester et al. (2016) | Adventurous Dreaming Highflying Dragon | PC or Xbox 360 | Game focusing on inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and motor deficiency |
Intervention group (37): mean age = 9.84 (SD = 1.71) Control group (36): mean age = 9.69 (SD = 1.79) |
79.45 | 15 min, six sessions for 3 weeks | The intervention group reported a greater increase in false alarms (impulsivity) than the control group (p < .05, Eta = .04–.06) |
Abbreviations: ADHD, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder; d, Cohen's; Eta, eta squared; p, p‐value; R 2, R‐square increase due to interaction.