RecruitingPhase 4NCT07169760

R61/33 - VR Study Phase 4

Development of a Novel Virtual Reality Treatment for Emerging Adults With ADHD

Sponsor

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Enrollment

252 participants

Start Date

Sep 9, 2025

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Summary

The goal of this larger parallel group randomized trial is to test the impact of a virtual reality program for improving the ability of emerging adults (age 18-25) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to stay focused while completing homework and studying. This study compares the impact of using a virtual reality headset to using a virtual reality headset while also receiving feedback about levels of focus to a control group. The main question is whether participants demonstrate significantly improved concentration while completing homework and studying in virtual reality and whether they enjoy and prefer working in a virtual reality environment. Concentration is measured both through participant report and also using keyboard and mouse click data to assess work productivity objectively.

Eligibility

Min Age: 18 YearsMax Age: 25 Years

Inclusion Criteria6

Participants must meet DSM-5 criteria for ADHD
Between the ages of 18 and 25
Given high rates of comorbidities in college students with ADHD, participants who meet criteria for ODD, anxiety or depressive disorders on the diagnostic interview are not excluded
Participants must have an item mean score of \>2.0 (often or very often) on the homework task specific version of the Adult Concentration Index (ACI), ensuring the presence of a problem in the mechanism being targeted in this study
The participant has to endorse a total of at least 5 symptoms in the ADHD inattention domain as currently present and impairing and at least 6 symptoms in the ADHD inattention domain as present and impairing during childhood
To rule out exclusionary conditions and/or to assess for the presence of comorbid conditions, psychological functioning will be assessed using the DSM-5 version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID-5-RV)

Exclusion Criteria4

Whether primary or not, the comorbid presence of several other conditions will be exclusionary.This includes autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, active substance abuse, and other psychiatric conditions whose treatment precludes participation in the study.
Students who do not meet criteria for ADHD are not eligible
Students who are not in the specified age range are also not eligible to participate
Students with a history of seizures are not eligible to participate given the use of VR

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Interventions

BEHAVIORALMeta Quest 3 VR Headset with noise cancelling headphones

Wearing the headset and headphones removes all outside audio and visual distractions. One of the groups receives frequent and consistent feedback about work productivity similar to behavioral interventions for ADHD.