ADHDNCT07784933
Immersive Gamified Virtual Reality-Based Training for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
A study testing Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT) and Traditional social skills training in people with ADHD and Social Skills, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Trial summary
This study evaluates a gamified virtual reality (VR) training program designed to help children with ADHD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: the VR training group, a traditional training group, or a waitlist group. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 12 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- ADHD, Social Skills
- What is being tested?
- Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT) and Traditional social skills training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 2 Jan 2027to 30 Aug 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 6 to 12 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- (1) children aged between 6 and 12 years;
- (2) a diagnosis of ADHD by a psychologist or psychiatrist according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for ADHD;
- (3) able to speak, listen and understand Cantonese;
- (4) willing to provide informed consent from the participants and the legal guardian of the participants.
Who cannot join
- (1) with comorbid conduct/behaviour problems;
- (2) with a physical or learning disability that affects the ability to conduct the intervention;
- (3) with an abnormal intellectual ability (unable to understand the materials delivered in the intervention);
- (4) initiation or change of ADHD medication during the study period;
- (5) history of severe motion sickness;
- (6) have participated in other psychological interventions for regulating ADHD-related symptoms.
About this study
Official title: Immersive Gamified Virtual Reality-Based Training for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder for Enhancing Social Skills: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This study evaluates a gamified virtual reality (VR) training program designed to help children with ADHD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: the VR training group, a traditional training group, or a waitlist group. Children in both training groups will complete 12 sessions over three weeks. To measure the program's effectiveness, researchers will test all participants four times: before the study starts, immediately after the training ends, and at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Finally, children from the VR group will be interviewed after the 6-month check-in to share their experiences, including the benefits and challenges they encountered.
Read the detailed description
This study employs a mixed-methods design, incorporating both an randomized controlled trial (RCT) and post-trial qualitative interviews. An assessor-blinded, three-arm RCT will be conducted to evaluate the effects of immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT) for children with ADHD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) iGameVRT, (2) Traditional Group (TG), and (3) Waitlist Control (WC). Participants in the iGameVRT and TG groups will undergo three weekly intervention sessions. Our pilot study demonstrated that a 12-session VR intervention over three weeks had a substantial effect on improving social skills in participants with ADHD (Cohen's d = 1.50). This indicates that the duration and frequency of the intervention were both feasible and well-tolerated. Therefore, we propose maintaining the same intervention schedule of 12 sessions over three weeks for this large-scale RCT. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (T0), immediately after the week 3 intervention (T1), a 3-month follow-up (T2) and a 6-month follow-up (T3). The training effects will be tested using between-groups (three arms) and within-groups (measures at T0, T1, T2 and T3) comparison. After T3, participants from the iGameVRT will be invited to share their experience of the GameVR-SST and perceived benefits and challenges.
- Conditions
- ADHD, Social Skills
- Being tested
- Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT), Traditional social skills training
- Medical subject headings
- Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Social Skills
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT)Behavioural
The immersive gamified virtual reality training intervention provides children with repeated practice in coding and interpreting social cues within a controlled and safe environment. The intervention includes immediate feedback and reinforcement mechanisms, enabling children to refine their responses effectively. The virtual reality environment is designed with social challenges of varying complexities, allowing children to play and learn engagingly.
Traditional social skills trainingBehavioural
Social skills training integrates cognitive restructuring to address underlying thoughts and beliefs, alongside behaviour modification strategies to build and strengthen social skills.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality-based intervention (iGameVRT) | Experimental | The participants will wear a head-mounted display (HMD) for the iGameVRT. Each session of the iGameVRT intervention lasts for a maximum of 20 minutes to ensure the participants focus on the intervention and prevent causing any physical effect. The duration will be adjusted depending on the emotion of the participants during the intervention. The iGameVRT intervention will mainly help the participant enhance their social interaction skills and executive function. The intervention contains three real-life virtual scenarios, including (1) classroom and playground, (2) MTR station and compartment, and (3) supermarket. One scenario will be adopted in each session. The sequences of the scenarios used in each session will be the same for all participants. Receives: Behavioral: Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT) |
| Traditional social skills training | Active comparator | A teacher will teach the participants social interaction skills through tradidactic instructions and role-play activities. Four modules will be covered: (1) how to introduce yourself and basic social skills; (2) how to listen to others; (3) how to share with others; (4) learn to know how people feel and how to empathise. The content of this training will be as similar as possible to the iGameVRT. The training lasts 20 minutes which depends on the emotion of the participants. Each training session will be conducted in a classroom independently for each participant. Receives: Behavioral: Traditional social skills training |
| Waitlist control | No intervention | The participants in this group will receive no training and they can participate in the social VR training after the intervention period. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Social Skills
Assessed through two methods: (1) A clinical/educational psychologist will use a modified version of Riggio's basic social skills assessment (10 items), and (2) guardians will complete the Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) (formerly Social Skills Rating Scale), focusing on selected subscales of self-control (16 items), initiative (9 items), and cooperation (6 items). The clinical/educational psychologist's assessment involves a 15- to 20-minute conversation during which the psychologist observes and evaluates the participant's social skills. To mitigate potential unblinding bias during the assessment, each participant will be assigned a unique case number for identification.
Measured: Baseline, Immediate after study (3-week), 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up
Secondary outcomes (3)
Executive functions
Assessed by guardians using the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parent Form (BRIEF) (Gioia et al., 2000), focusing on selected subscales: inhibition (16 items) and emotional control (10 items). These subscales demonstrate internal consistency with Cronbach's α of 0.79 and 0.89, respectively.
Measured: Baseline, Immediate after study (3-week), 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up
Motion sickness
Evaluated using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), administered at baseline exclusively to participants in the VR training group.
Measured: Immediate after study (3-week)
Satisfaction with training
Assessed using a seven-point Likert scale administered at baseline to participants in both the VR and traditional training groups
Measured: Immediate after study (3-week)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Aug 2026
- Study start2 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Aug 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for ADHDStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- An assessor-blinded, three-arm RCT will be conducted to evaluate the effects of immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT). Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) iGameVRT, (2) Traditional Group (TG), and (3) Waitlist Control (WC).
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07784933
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HSEARS20240816001
- Other IDs
- P0058954
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 25 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Immersive Gamified Virtual Reality-Based Training for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder for Enhancing Social Skills: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07784933
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HSEARS20240816001
- Conditions
- ADHD, Social Skills
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 2 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Aug 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study evaluates a gamified virtual reality (VR) training program designed to help children with ADHD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: the VR training group, a traditional training group, or a waitlist group. Children in both training groups will complete 12 sessions over three weeks. To measure the program's effectiveness, researchers will test all participants four times: before the study starts, immediately after the training ends, and at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Finally, children from the VR group will be interviewed after the 6-month check-in to share their experiences, including the benefits and challenges they encountered.
Detailed description
This study employs a mixed-methods design, incorporating both an randomized controlled trial (RCT) and post-trial qualitative interviews. An assessor-blinded, three-arm RCT will be conducted to evaluate the effects of immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT) for children with ADHD. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) iGameVRT, (2) Traditional Group (TG), and (3) Waitlist Control (WC). Participants in the iGameVRT and TG groups will undergo three weekly intervention sessions. Our pilot study demonstrated that a 12-session VR intervention over three weeks had a substantial effect on improving social skills in participants with ADHD (Cohen's d = 1.50). This indicates that the duration and frequency of the intervention were both feasible and well-tolerated. Therefore, we propose maintaining the same intervention schedule of 12 sessions over three weeks for this large-scale RCT. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (T0), immediately after the week 3 intervention (T1), a 3-month follow-up (T2) and a 6-month follow-up (T3). The training effects will be tested using between-groups (three arms) and within-groups (measures at T0, T1, T2 and T3) comparison. After T3, participants from the iGameVRT will be invited to share their experience of the GameVR-SST and perceived benefits and challenges.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- An assessor-blinded, three-arm RCT will be conducted to evaluate the effects of immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT). Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) iGameVRT, (2) Traditional Group (TG), and (3) Waitlist Control (WC).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality-based intervention (iGameVRT) | Experimental | Behavioral: Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT)The participants will wear a head-mounted display (HMD) for the iGameVRT. Each session of the iGameVRT intervention lasts for a maximum of 20 minutes to ensure the participants focus on the intervention and prevent causing any physical effect. The duration will be adjusted depending on the emotion of the participants during the intervention. The iGameVRT intervention will mainly help the participant enhance their social interaction skills and executive function. The intervention contains three real-life virtual scenarios, including (1) classroom and playground, (2) MTR station and compartment, and (3) supermarket. One scenario will be adopted in each session. The sequences of the scenarios used in each session will be the same for all participants. |
| Traditional social skills training | Active comparator | Behavioral: Traditional social skills trainingA teacher will teach the participants social interaction skills through tradidactic instructions and role-play activities. Four modules will be covered: (1) how to introduce yourself and basic social skills; (2) how to listen to others; (3) how to share with others; (4) learn to know how people feel and how to empathise. The content of this training will be as similar as possible to the iGameVRT. The training lasts 20 minutes which depends on the emotion of the participants. Each training session will be conducted in a classroom independently for each participant. |
| Waitlist control | No intervention | –The participants in this group will receive no training and they can participate in the social VR training after the intervention period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 6 to 12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- (1) children aged between 6 and 12 years;
- (2) a diagnosis of ADHD by a psychologist or psychiatrist according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for ADHD;
- (3) able to speak, listen and understand Cantonese;
- (4) willing to provide informed consent from the participants and the legal guardian of the participants.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- (1) with comorbid conduct/behaviour problems;
- (2) with a physical or learning disability that affects the ability to conduct the intervention;
- (3) with an abnormal intellectual ability (unable to understand the materials delivered in the intervention);
- (4) initiation or change of ADHD medication during the study period;
- (5) history of severe motion sickness;
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT)The immersive gamified virtual reality training intervention provides children with repeated practice in coding and interpreting social cues within a controlled and safe environment. The intervention includes immediate feedback and reinforcement mechanisms, enabling children to refine their responses effectively. The virtual reality environment is designed with social challenges of varying complexities, allowing children to play and learn engagingly. | Behavioural | Virtual reality-based intervention (iGameVRT) |
| Traditional social skills trainingSocial skills training integrates cognitive restructuring to address underlying thoughts and beliefs, alongside behaviour modification strategies to build and strengthen social skills. | Behavioural | Traditional social skills training |
Primary outcome
Social Skills
Time frame: Baseline, Immediate after study (3-week), 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up
Assessed through two methods: (1) A clinical/educational psychologist will use a modified version of Riggio's basic social skills assessment (10 items), and (2) guardians will complete the Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) (formerly Social Skills Rating Scale), focusing on selected subscales of self-control (16 items), initiative (9 items), and cooperation (6 items). The clinical/educational psychologist's assessment involves a 15- to 20-minute conversation during which the psychologist observes and evaluates the participant's social skills. To mitigate potential unblinding bias during the assessment, each participant will be assigned a unique case number for identification.
3 secondary outcomes
Executive functions
Time frame: Baseline, Immediate after study (3-week), 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up
Motion sickness
Time frame: Immediate after study (3-week)
Satisfaction with training
Time frame: Immediate after study (3-week)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Aug 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Immersive gamified virtual reality-based training (iGameVRT) and Traditional social skills training in people with ADHD and Social Skills, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Social Skills (time frame: Baseline, Immediate after study (3-week), 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Aug 2026.