Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Intervention for Impulsivity, Sustained Attention, and Divided Attention in Children with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Introduction: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that usually begins in childhood. inconsistent with one’s developmental stage, this condition is marked by attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. the present study aimed to investigate the effect of virtual reality intervention (vri) on impulsivity, sustained attention, and divided attention in children with adhd. methods: this is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. the study population consisted of 103 boys and girls diagnosed with adhd seeking treatment at baqiyatullah hospital in tehran in 2021. thirty children who met the inclusion criteria were purposefully selected and allocated to two groups: a control group (only taking ritalin) and an intervention group (n=15 per group). the intervention group received vri (twelve 60-minute sessions held three times weekly). the research instrument included the integrated visual and auditory continuous performance test. data analysis was conducted using analysis of covariance (ancova). results: the results revealed that vri improved impulsivity, sustained attention, and divided attention in children diagnosed with adhd (p<0.001). conclusion: based on the findings, vri can improve sustained attention, divided attention, and impulsivity in children with adhd.