Evaluating the relation between the EEG brainwaves and attention measures, and the children’s performance in REEFOCUS game designed for ADHD symptoms improvement

This paper documents on EEG dynamics findings of the testing of the REEFOCUS game developed in the context of the FocusLocus project. REEFOCUS aims at providing an innovative game-based intervention programme for assisting children to manage and overcome ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder) symptoms. ADHD affects 7% of the population and causes behavioral problems, learning limitations and social exclusion. Backed up by cognitive science research, REEFOCUS game incorporates multisensory training methods for behavioral change and mental and motor skill acquisition. REEFOCUS is designed to be personalized and adaptive to each child’s individual condition. REEFOCUS actively involves parents, attending clinicians and special needs educators, allowing them to remotely monitor the progress of children and adjust the intervention programme according to their preferences. The REEFOCUS solution aspires to be an efficient and cost-effective alternative in ADHD treatment without the undesirable side-effects of currently established approaches (e.g. medication). The REEFOCUS game has been deployed and tested in operational conditions and with intended end-users. The findings from this study indicate that REEFOCUS is an effective game-based intervention for altering EEG characteristics associated with ADHD. In this study, the EEG metrics, namely Attention and Theta-to-Beta Ratio (TBR), as provided by the device’s Brain Computer Interface (BCI), were analyzed in order to detect statistical changes form the first to the last Gaming Sessions.