Learningworks for Kids presents its clinic research on video game learning in children with ADHD. Presented at the 2012 Annual APA Convention as a symposium discussion.

1. Generalization of Game-Based
Learning for Children with ADHD
Randy Kulman, Ph.D.
randy@learningworksforkids.com
@rkulman
LearningWorks for kids 2012 APA Convention
www.learningworksforkids.com www.apa.org/convention
@lw4k @APAConvention

2. Presentation Disclosure
Randy Kulman, Ph.D. commercial interests:
• President, Majority Stockholder, LearningWorks for
Kids, Inc.
• Cogmed Working Memory provider

3. Overview
• What do we know about children with ADHD and
video games?
• Why use video games and digital media to help
children with ADHD?
• What are the characteristics of interventions proven to
work with children with ADHD?
• Why do children with ADHD not become scholars
after playing video games?
• What can we do to make video games a more
productive learning tool for children with ADHD?

4. What do we know about ADHD kids
and video games?
• Clinical and anecdotal
observations - too much and
often too intensely! (but this is
exactly why we need to use this
behavior)
• No research evidence of
difference concerning frequency
or duration of play between
ADHD and typically-developing
children ages 10 to 12.
• Similar enjoyment for the same
types of games (Bioulac 2008).
• South County Child and Family
Consultants Data

5. LWK study of ADHD kids and
parents on video game play
• (Current sample of 60 children with a primary
ADHD diagnosis based upon a full
neuropsychological evaluation)
• Survey asks parents to describe their own
media usage to see if it is correlated to
attitudes regarding video games
• Also asks them to describe their concerns
and hopes for benefits of video games and
other digital media
• Digital media use of ADHD kids- Most time
television, video games, music (different from
what is seen in national studies of typically
developing kids)

6. Children, parents, and video game play
How many hours a week does your child spend
playing video games?
• 34% Less than 1 hour per
• 32% 2-4 hours
• 20% 5-7 hours
• 13% 8+ hours
How many hours per week do you spend
observing or interacting with your child when they
play video games?
• 23% no time
• 46% less than 1 hour
• 27% 1-5 hours
• 4% 6+ hours

7. Children, parents, and video game play
Do you play video games with your child?
• 25% Never
• 57% Sometimes
• 14% Often
• 3% Always
How much do you believe that video games can
help your child with problem solving?
• 34% Somewhat
• 25% Quite a bit
• 19% A little bit
• 13% A great deal
• 8% Not at all

8. Why use video games and digital media to
help children with ADHD?
• Video game play requires the use of executive
functioning skills.
• Other skills such as organization and metacognitive
skills are required for success.
• Both simple and complex video
games regularly use skills such
as planning, cognitive
flexibility, self-control, and time
management.
• Many games specifically tax
working memory skills and
attentional skills.

9. Why use video games and digital
media to help kids with ADHD?
Kids with ADHD or Video Games and Digital Media
Attention Difficulties
May become easily bored and • Require ever-changing skills
unable to sustain attention • Employ video, sounds, words, and
actions
• Multi-modal
Often require immediate • Provide clear and immediate feedback
reinforcement or consequence • Constantly let player know what he is
to stay focused on a task. doing wrong and right
Often require that their body or • Extremely engaging
mind to be actively engaged. • Many require physical and cognitive
involvement

10. Why use video games and digital
media to help kids with ADHD?
Kids with ADHD or Attention Video Games and Digital Media
Difficulties
Usually have problems with • Teach by trial and error or
following directions. guided discovery
• Require that the player
understand the instructions in
order to succeed
May struggle to learn new • Most negative feed back from
information and experience video games and other digital
frustration or low self-esteem as a media occurs privately.
result. • Causes less embarrassment
and frustration
• Teaches the player how to
handle these emotions

11. What are the characteristics of interventions
that work best with children With ADHD?
• Point of performance interventions
• Immediacy of feedback
• Powerful and engaging feedback and
meaningful consequences
• Multimodal presentations and
multiple intervention agents
• Individualized to child’s
capacities
• Strategic teaching principles
including: previewing, setting
explicit
goals, partnering, metacognition,
and generalization strategies

12. Why do children with ADHD not become
scholars after playing video games?
• Existing games are generally not designed to promote
skills in children with ADHD.
• Existing games focus on
other things, while using
important thinking skills.
• Metacognitive skills are not
built into existing video
games.
• Generalization and strategic
teaching skills are not built
into existing game.

13. Research on Executive/Thinking
Skills and Video Games
• LWK pilot research on differentiated
instruction, targeting areas of EF weakness with
video games
• Combination of board and video games improve
fluid reasoning and processing speed
(Mackey, 2011)
• Working memory video games improve WM, fluid
reasoning skills (Cogmed ) Intensity/duration
• Computer-based training improves executive
attention in preschoolers (Rueda, 2005)
• Video game like math and reading programs
improves learning, reduces attention symptoms
• Games (non video) that increase cognitive load
and used as a teaching tool by parents reduce
ADHD symptoms in Preschoolers
(Halperin, 2012)

14. How well do game based skills
transfer to the real world?
• Game play alone results in modest
improvements in real-world executive
skills
• Children with learning and attention
problems have problems in
generalizing strategies
• Kids like to talk about playing video
games and may be willing to learn
from that
• Games prompt partnering and
motivation to learn executive skills
• Practice and rehearsal of executive
skills

15. BUT…games are not enough!!!
• The key to success is effective
teaching or mediation (can be done in
the game)
• Teachers (including
peers, parents, and imbedded
instruction) make the connection
between game-based learning and
real-world skills
• Actual learning requires knowledge of
the skill, understanding how and when
to use it, and practice across many
situations

16. What can we do to make video games a more
productive learning experience for children with
ADHD?
• Utilize a differentiated instructional model that identifies
the specific skills that a child with ADHD needs to
improve
• Teach skills and then practice them in game and
technology play
• Talk about gameplay and skills, metacognitive
approaches
• Build generalization
strategies, practice skills
outside of the game
• Consider duration and intensity
of game play to practice skills
• Mediated learning, including
parents, psychologists, educat
ors, and peers

17. Play Together
• Talk before, during, and after
gameplay. Choose gameplay goals
with your child.
• Have fun playing the game with your
child!
• Reflect on gameplay, emphasizing the
use of the targeted thinking or
academic skills.
• Direct your discussion to how these
same skills are useful in daily
activities.

18. Make it Work
• Explain the benefits of digital
play, and introduce the skills being
exercised in the game.
• Encourage non-digital activities that
use the same skills.
• Regularly connect game-based
skills to things your child is
struggling with in the real-world.
• Try different games and skills

19. Executive Skills Questionnaire

20. Prescription of
Games, Technologies, and
Recommendations

21. Gardens of Time: Video
PlayBook

22. Thank You!
Randy Kulman, Ph.D.
randy@learningworksforkids.com
@rkulman
LearningWorks for kids 2012 APA Convention
www.learningworksforkids.com www.apa.org/convention
@lw4k @APAConvention