LearningWorks for kids www.learningworksforkids.com @lw4k The Use and Impact of Video Games and Digital Media for Children with ADHD Randy Kulman, Ph.D. Gary Stoner, Ph. D. CHADD annual conference 2012
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The Use and Impact of Video Games and Digital Media for Children with ADHD
A presentation given by LearningWorks for Kids at the 2012 annual CHADD conference.
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1. The Use and Impact of VideoGames and Digital Media for
Children with ADHD Randy Kulman, Ph.D. Gary Stoner, Ph. D.CHADD
annual conference 2012 LearningWorks for kids
www.learningworksforkids.com @lw4k
2. Presenter Information and DisclosureRandy Kulman, Ph.D.
commercial interests: President, Majority Stockholder,
LearningWorks for Kids, Inc. Cogmed Working Memory providerGary
Stoner, Ph. D. Research Consultant LearningWorks for Kids
Professor, Dept. of Psychology, University of Rhode Island
3. Overview What do we know about children with ADHD and video
games? Why use video games and digital media to help children with
ADHD? What are the characteristics of interventions proven to work
with children with ADHD? Why do children with ADHD not become
scholars after playing video games? What can we do to make video
games a more productive learning tool for children with ADHD?
4. Consider the Following Questions: How much time do children
with ADHD spend playing video games, per day? Adolescents with
ADHD? In what ways might video games and digital media be helpful
for children with ADHD? What are the characteristics of video games
and digital media that may facilitate learning in children with
ADHD? My child with ADHD plays video games; why is s/he not earning
all As in school? How can video games become more effective
learning tools for children with ADHD?
5. Signs of ADHD may include: difficulty in following through
on instructions problems organizing tasks and activities difficulty
sustaining attention in tasks restlessness and excessive movement
high levels of activity and always being on the go physical and
verbal impulsivity executive functioning issues 3 major forms of
ADHD
6. Demographics of ADHD 5-9 % of Population Diagnosed with ADHD
20-50% have Learning Disabilities 30-40% Oppositional Defiant
Disorder 20-30 Anxiety Disorder 2.7 million kids taking meds (66%
of those diagnosed) CDC 2007 Major treatments educational,
behavioral High percentage of EDF, mild ADHD; kids who are
struggling with traditional education
7. What do we know about ADHD kids and video games? Clinical
and anecdotal observations - too much and often too intensely! (but
this is exactly why we need to use this behavior) No research
evidence of difference concerning frequency or duration of play
between ADHD and typically-developing children ages 10 to 12.
Similar enjoyment for the same types of games (Bioulac 2008). South
County Child and Family Consultants Data
8. How do children with ADHD perform on video games? May not
always perform as well as their typically- developing peers
(Lawrence, et al 2002) May process information somewhat slowly on
video games. (Lawrence et al. 2002, 2004). Perform as well as their
peers in simple games but not as well in complex games. (Lawrence
et al. 2004). No difference in inhibitory performance of children
with ADHD and TD Kids with Crash Bandicoot and Frogger (Shaw 2005).
The similarity of performance in this study suggested that
enjoyable video games provide a context in which their performance
is enhanced.
9. Do Video/Computer Games and Television Impact Attention
Span? Short-term effects suggest that more than an hour of
computer-game play a day is correlated to poor scores for ADHD,
Inattentive Type (Taharoglu 2010). Total time spent with screen
media is positively associated with attention problems (Swing,
Gentile, et al. 2010). Four-year-olds watching Spongebob can have
an immediate negative effect on childrens executive- functioning
skills (Lillard 2011). Television/Video-game use along with
exposure to violent content not predictive of attention problems or
grade point average (Ferguson 2010) Is digital media the cause of
increasing rates of ADHD?
10. Do Video Games and Television Impact Attention Span?
Improves capacity to rapidly filter visual distractions, but may
negatively effect focus on slow streams of information (Bavelier)
Leads to listlessness and discontent in slow-paced and less
stimulating academic, work, and social environments (Merzenich)
Attention skills improved by video games (detecting differences and
orienting attention) are liabilities in classroom resulting in
distractibility (Gentile)
11. LWK study of ADHD kids and parents on video game play
(Current sample of 105 children with a primary ADHD diagnosis based
upon a full neuropsychological evaluation) Survey asks parents to
describe their own media usage to see if it is correlated to
attitudes regarding video games Also asks them to describe their
concerns and hopes for benefits of video games and other digital
media Digital media use of ADHD kids- Most time television, video
games, music (different from what is seen in national studies of
typically developing kids)
12. *Children, parents, and video game playHow many hours a
week does your child spendplaying video games? 34% Less than 1 hour
per 32% 2-4 hours 20% 5-7 hours 13% 8+ hoursHow many hours per week
do you spendobserving or interacting with your child when theyplay
video games? 27% no time 39% less than 1 hour 31% 1-5 hours 3% 6+
hours
13. Children, parents, and video game play Do you play video
games with your child? 32% Never 55% Sometimes 10% Often 2% Always
How much do you believe that video games can help your child with
problem solving? 34% Somewhat 25% Quite a bit 19% A little bit 13%
A great deal 8% Not at all
14. **Why use video games and digital media to help children
with ADHD? Video game play requires the use of executive
functioning skills. Other skills such as organization and
metacognitive skills are required for success. Both simple and
complex video games regularly use skills such as planning,
cognitive flexibility, self-control, and time management. Many
games specifically tax working memory skills and attention
skills.
15. Why use video games and digital media to help kids with
ADHD? Kids with ADHD or Video Games and Digital Media Attention
DifficultiesMay become easily bored and Require ever-changing
skills unable to sustain attention Employ video, sounds, words, and
actions Multi-modal Often require immediate Provide clear and
immediate feedbackreinforcement or consequence Constantly let
player know what he is to stay focused on a task. doing wrong and
rightOften require that their body or Extremely engaging mind to be
actively engaged. Many require physical and cognitive
involvement
16. Why use video games and digital media to help kids with
ADHD? Kids with ADHD or Attention Video Games and Digital Media
Difficulties Usually have problems with Teach by trial and error or
following directions. guided discovery Require that the player
understand the instructions in order to succeed May struggle to
learn new Most negative feed back from information and experience
video games and other digitalfrustration or low self-esteem as a
media occurs privately. result. Causes less embarrassment and
frustration Teaches the player how to handle these emotions
17. What are the characteristics of interventions that work
best with children With ADHD? Point of performance interventions
Immediacy of feedback Powerful and engaging feedback and meaningful
consequences Multimodal, movement, and multiple intervention agents
Individualized to childs capacities Above list are all basic video
game mechanics Strategic teaching principles including: previewing,
setting explicit goals, partnering, metacognition, generalization
strategies- The LW4K approach
18. **My child with ADHD plays video games; why is s/he not
earning all As in school? Existing games are generally not designed
to promote skills in children with ADHD. Existing games focus on
other things, while using important thinking skills. Metacognitive
skills are not built into existing video games. Generalization and
strategic teaching skills are not built into existing game.
19. Research on Executive/Thinking Skills and Video Games LWK
pilot research on differentiated instruction, targeting areas of EF
weakness with video games Combination of board and video games
improve fluid reasoning and processing speed (Mackey, 2011) Working
memory video games improve WM, fluid reasoning skills (Cogmed )
Intensity/duration Computer-based training improves executive
attention in preschoolers (Rueda, 2005) Video game like math and
reading programs improves learning, reduces attention symptoms
Games (non video) that increase cognitive load and used as a
teaching tool by parents reduce ADHD symptoms in Preschoolers
(Halperin, 2012)
20. How well do game based skills transfer to the real world?
Game play alone results in modest improvements in real-world
executive skills Children with learning and attention problems have
problems in generalizing strategies Kids like to talk about playing
video games and may be willing to learn from that Games prompt
partnering and motivation to learn executive skills Practice and
rehearsal of executive skills
21. BUTgames are not enough!!! The key to success is effective
teaching or mediation (can be done in the game) Teachers (including
peers, parents, and imbedded instruction) make the connection
between game-based learning and real-world skills Actual learning
requires knowledge of the skill, understanding how and when to use
it, and practice across many situations Video games are like
soccer, checkers, card games and can and should be used as a
teaching tool by parents and educators
22. What can we do to make video games a moreproductive
learning experience for children with ADHD? Utilize a
differentiated instructional model that identifies the specific
skills that a child with ADHD needs to improve Teach skills and
then practice them in game and technology play Talk about gameplay
and skills, metacognitive approaches Build generalization
strategies, practice skills outside of the game Consider duration
and intensity of game play to practice skills Mediated learning,
including parents, psychologists, educators, and peers
23. Executive Skills Questionnaire
24. Prescription of Games, Technologies, and
Recommendations
25. Gardens of Time PlayBook
26. Gardens of Time: Video PlayBook
27. myHomework for ADHD
28. Advice for Parents
29. Quizzes and Assessments
30. Play Together Talk before, during, and after gameplay.
Choose gameplay goals with your child. Have fun playing the game
with your child! Reflect on gameplay, emphasizing the use of the
targeted thinking or academic skills. Direct your discussion to how
these same skills are useful in daily activities.
31. Make it Work Explain the benefits of digital play, and
introduce the skills being exercised in the game. Encourage
non-digital activities that use the same skills. Regularly connect
game-based skills to things your child is struggling with in the
real-world. Try different games and skills
32. Thank You! Randy Kulman, Ph.D.
[email protected] @rkulman Gary Stoner, Ph.D.
[email protected] LearningWorks for kidswww.learningworksforkids.com
@lw4k