Could a Game Improve Your Concentration Better Than a Handful of Ritalin?

Getting lost in another world, embodying a character, snacking on potato chips, and conversing with friends: easy, and common, stuff for most gamers. Typically, concentration during game play is neither challenging nor stressful; it usually occurs naturally once the game is ready and loaded. However, establishing active and thoughtful concentration, while playing video games, is the goal of researchers of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (commonly known as ADHD). Through gaming, children everywhere may one day be able to read Wuthering Heights from cover to cover without looking up once.

Millions of children, and even some adults, suffer from ADHD, living with constant frustration and cognitive-processing difficulties. New and innovative research has resulted in the development of a PC game that will drastically improve the lives of those coping with the disorder.

Henry Owen, a clinical psychologist now offering a patented video game system to some of his patients, describes the game as an incentive to improve focus and concentration. The game involves players wearing biofeedback sensors that simultaneously measure their heart rate, skin temperature, and breathing techniques. The players’ goal is to self-regulate both their breathing and mental acuity in order to control the speed of the game.

According to Dr. Owen, “When they play on this system, if they zone out, the video game doesn’t respond anymore,” acting as an incentive to concentrate and focus. In other words, the video game’s neuro-feedback monitor helps to teach the patient’s to self-regulate their brain-wave patterns in order to improve focus and behavior.

Despite the game’s good intentions, some researchers remain skeptical. The major concern is that parents might abandon traditional treatment, a common combination of pharmacological and educational interventions, which has already been proven out through nearly two decades of treatment.

That said, many doctors in the field are turning to alternative treatments, such as behavioral therapies, particularly in Australia where it is difficult to access specialized medical facilities. Owen is all for alternative treatments. He currently has four patients who play Smart Brain Games, a recently released at-home treatment video game system, for 10 to 20 minutes a day.

The reality is that children today tend to approach new technology with curiosity and an open mind. Knowing this, researchers want to engage patients through gaming, a medium that they know children can respond to, in order to improve their moods and alter bad behavior. With more intensive research, a game designed for ADHD patients can be perfected and brought to market. After all, if games can entertain and relax, then doctors suspect that they can treat and educate as well. Diligent doctors, hopeful parents, and eager patients await the outcome of their labor.