Can Video Games Treat ADHD?

A generation raised on technology is inspiring research on alternative therapy for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

By Abby Lerner

Everyone gets distracted. We all put things off on occasion. But for the millions of school-age children and adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the inability to focus, manage time and finish tasks can take a serious toll on their wellbeing. "They don't have time to enjoy life. They have to stay late after hours, or they are going without sleep, frantically trying to meet deadlines," Dr. Mary Solanto, director of the ADHD Center at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City told the Wall Street Journal.

While medications such as Ritalin or Adderall can effectively treat symptoms of ADHD, research suggests that alternative behavioral therapies like video games can also help—which is good news since 68 percent of American households play computer or video games, and 63 percent of parents believe games are a positive part of their children's lives, according to a 2009 report from the Entertainment Software Association.

How can video games improve your brainpower? It's based on a process called neurofeedback, which teaches people to regulate their own brain-wave patterns to improve learning. With the SMART system, for example, the player simply puts an attention monitoring visor on his or her head that connects to a battery-powered Smartbox. The SmartBox sends a wireless signal to the game controller, affecting its performance. The more you focus, the better the game plays. It's that simple. The SMART system works with any game released for the PlayStation 2 or Xbox so you won't need a lot of new software, but racing games like Gran Turismo deliver the most intense brain exercise. A 2005 study found that ADHD kids using the SMART system and videogames demonstrated "significantly less hyperactivity at home and school" and "demonstrated significant improvement on behavioral and neuropsychological tests of attention."

Advantages of treating ADHD with this approach are obvious: There is a library of games readily available for patients to use with the SMART system, and playing a game is inherently more engaging than other types of therapy. Plus, a 2001 study found that patients who used videogames with neurofeedback were more motivated and more likely to complete treatment than those treated with conventional neurofeedback.

Some researchers remain skeptical about the effectiveness of videos games in treating ADHD. The concern is parents might abandon mainstay treatments—a combination of pharmacological and educational interventions that have been tested and proved over time—in favor of this non-pharmaceutical option. More research is necessary to determine the long-term benefits of video game play with a neurofeedback component.