Mysterious Bones Unearthed:Development of an Online Therapeuticserious Game for Children with Attention Deficit-hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Attention deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder is a disease that affects 3 to 5 percent of children globally. The treatment roots on medication and behavioral exercises. There are unwanted, documented, side effects of the medication, and the behavioral exercises are very demanding for children. In this context the goal of the present research was the development of a serious game for children with 6-8 years old with behavioral exercises as the basis for the action of the game, using a ludic approach. This ludic approach intends to increase the motivation for the game. The present work is part of the research project Therapy4All. The objective of the project is not to replace the traditional form of treatment, but to complement it by allowing a physician to maintain her/his patients under supervision between their regular consultations. The goalis the development of research on serious games to provide patients a better control of their symptoms more than with just traditional therapy. Our first results, with a very small sample, show encouraging improvements in the children's competencies.