ADHD and Virtual Reality, a project developed by the Vall d’Hebrón Institut de Recerca

Joan Francesc Serra Pla is a Resident Psychologist at Hospital Vall d’Hebrón and lecturer at the APIR Academy, who holds a PhD in Psychiatry from the UAB’s Faculty of Medicine. During the Serious Games Camp held in Terrassa on September 27 and 28, he spoke to us about a project he is involved in at the Vall d’Hebrón Institut de Recerca, which uses Virtual Reality to treat ADHD.

• Can you briefly tell us what ADHD involves?

ADHD is a very common disorder that begins in childhood. According to recent figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 7% of children among the general population suffer from this disorder, and 70% of cases will persist into adulthood. ADHD is characterized by clear symptoms of inattention, which in some cases is accompanied by hyperactivity and compulsive behaviour. Such children often find it difficult to sit still, they’re restless, tend to be impulsive, talk excessively, and so on. And although most frequently (in 70% of cases) both attention deficit and hyperactivity occur simultaneously, this is not always the case; There is a smaller percentage, around 20%, who suffer from only inattention, and in 5-10% of the cases, the problem is solely one of hyperactivity.

• What are the objectives of the project which intends to use VR as a tool for the treatment of ADHD?

To increase the likelihood that patients complete the therapy due to its short duration and the appeal of Virtual Reality, to treat the symptoms of ADHD, possible anxiety and comorbid depression, and improve the patients’ functionality and their quality of life.

• What does the project involve and what cross-section or segment of the population is involved?

It consists of four sessions of 30 minutes each, and each session consists of a new mindfulness module. The first session is carried out in a psychologist’s consulting room, when the subjects are given the VR headset and a cell phone, and they’re taught how to use it at home for a week. The following week, again in the consulting room, the child discusses what they’ve learnt, before starting the second session, which will then be performed at home for the rest of the week. The third and fourth sessions follow a similar format. Throughout the treatment (which takes one month), the patient is given an email address to contact in case there have any sort of a technical problem. Before they start, the patients are evaluated in terms of ADHD, anxiety, depression, functionality and their quality of life. Upon finishing the treatment they are re-assessed to see if they’ve improved in terms of these variables. In addition, there are follow up consultations with the patient, three and six months after the initial treatment to see if any improvements have continued.

• Is it a preventative treatment or therapy for children who already have ADHD?

The treatment is given once ADHD has been diagnosed, so we can’t say it’s preventative, although it can be used in the very early stages or before other typical psychological problems have become manifest.

• What’s the state of research in terms of using technology for treatments and healthcare?

For the past 3 years there’s been a massive increase in medical research using new ICT. Specifically, the world of apps and virtual reality has a great appeal for all medical specialties. They’re tools which sit very well with clinical research. They’re efficient and useful, meaning that without doubt they’re tools which are here to stay.

• What does VR based therapy have to offer over traditional procedures and treatments?

It’s always seen to be particularly useful for the treatment of phobias, for example the fear of flying is very difficult to treat if you’re not actually in the situation. Virtual reality transports one to this situation in a way that is easily managed by the clinician. In other contexts, such as mindfulness, which is not difficult to treat by non-digital means, it provides one with a greater wealth of images, sensations and control of stimuli on the part of the therapist. It has great added value.