A Study of the Attention Measurement Variables of a Serious Game as a Treatment for ADHD

The number of young children classified as being affected with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is reaching a very serious level. A method to help children with attention-related conditions such as ADHD without depending on drugs is required. In this context, the necessity for research on means of improving attention through the use of computer games, loved by children, has recently been highlighted. Therefore, in this study, research on variables that enable the measurement of attention leading to the development of tangible games to improve attention while children are playing these types of games by moving their bodies is done. First, measurement variables are selected based on a survey of existing attention measurement methods in a computer environment. Experimental research is then conducted to find if children with attention deficits and normal children can be distinguished in terms of the selected measurement variables in the tangible game environment. Those variables are omission error, commission error, average response time, and standard deviation of response time. According to the results, four variables are confirmed to be usable to measure and assess attention in the tangible game to be developed through this study. With these experimental results, a 3D tangible game that improves children’s attention level can be developed.