When it came time to rate the software, the average rating was 7 out of 10. In response to the rating, Dr. Martucci humbly said, “It wasn’t the best game they’ve ever seen in the world, but that’s okay; I’m pretty sure it’s the best medical device they’ve ever seen.” According to Dr. Martucci, ADHD drug studies typically have a “10% or 15% dropout rate.”
According to the Project: EVO study, there were zero dropouts. This is exciting for the study because the aim is for long-term use; interest is king in learning. The feedback was not exclusive to the kids, either. Parents were asked to rate their child’s experience. Seventy-seven percent reported that it was very worthwhile or somewhat worthwhile.
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What did the game measure to track the childrens’ improvement? Their improvement in cognitive skills. Researchers determined that the “most critical” categories for improvement were working memory, attention, and impulsivity. “We saw meaningful improvements in all of those domains,” said Dr Martucci. “This totally at-home interaction with a game-based therapy, so not with a doctor and not at a center, actually seems to be having some solid effects on domains that are pretty critical to ADHD function, like attention and impulsivity.”
The plan, according to Dr Martucci, is to seek approval from the FDA for the device. “We think the technology is powerful, and if the technology is powerful, we can actually bring this into a mainstream medical path, meaning doctor-approved and reimbursed.”
No Video Game, No Problem!
Try any of the fun games below to help improve your child’s focus:
- Play catch: While playing a simple game of tossing a ball back and forth, give directions to your child and ask them to repeat the directions back to you each time they throw the ball. The child can later associate the directions with playing the game and fun to help him/her recall.
- Do puzzles: Whether it’s 1000 pieces or just 10, putting a puzzle together help boost concentration and motor skills. Word games and word search puzzles also work.
- Freeze & Focus: Ever been put on the spot before? One of the best ways to improve focus is when you’re asked to concentrate unexpectedly. Randomly throughout the day, ask your child to “Freeze! Focus!” and have them freeze for a minimum of 10 seconds (you can increase the time gradually). When the freeze is over, ask them to name three things the remember seeing while frozen.
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