Modeling an Augmented Reality Game Environment to Enhance Behavior of ADHD Patients

Abstract

The paper generically models an augmented reality game-based environment to project the gamification of an online cognitive behavioral therapist that performs instant measurements for patients with a predefined Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in which patients have difficulties related to inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Those patients are in need for a psychological therapy; the use of cognitive behavioral therapy as a firmly-established treatment is to help in enhancing the way they think and behave. A major limitation in traditional cognitive behavioral therapies is that therapists may face difficulty to optimize patients’ neuropsychological stimulus following a specified treatment plan, i.e., therapists struggle to draw clear images when stimulating patients’ mind-set to a point where they should be. Other limitations recognized here include availability, accessibility and level-of-experience of the therapists. Therefore, the paper present a gamification model, we term as “AR-Therapist,” in order to take advantages of augmented reality developments to engage patients in both real and virtual game-based environments. The model provides an on-time measurements of patients’ progress throughout the treatment sessions which, in result, overcomes limitations observed in traditional cognitive behavioral therapies.