Reward Effects on Cognition, Motor Skills, and Motivation in Children

NCT ID: NCT06798337

Last Updated: 2025-08-29

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 67 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-01-15
• Study Completion Date: 2024-05-15

Brief Summary

This interventional study aimed to aimed to evaluate the effects of rewards on cognitive function, motor skills, and motivation in 8- to 10-year-old children with ADHD following 3- and 6-week interventions.

Detailed Description

Research problem: children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are inattentive and distractible, which often makes it difficult for physiotherapists to keep them interested, as prolonged activity often causes boredom.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of reward on cognitive function, motor skills and motivation in 8-10 year old children with ADHD after 3 and 6 week interventions.

Objectives of the study:

1. To compare the cognitive function of children receiving conventional physiotherapy with that of children receiving reward therapy. 2. To compare the motor skills of the children receiving conventional physiotherapy with those of the children receiving the reward. 3. To compare the motivation of children receiving conventional physiotherapy with that of children receiving rewards.

The hypothesis of the study is that exercise with rewards improves cognitive function, motor skills and motivation better than conventional physiotherapy in children aged 8 to 10 years with attention deficit disorder.

Research methods: the study included 60 boys diagnosed with ADHD. Age: 8-10 years. Subjects were randomly divided into reward and conventional physiotherapy groups. In both groups, subjects performed exercises for balance and coordination for 3 times per week for 45 min, but in one group subjects received a reward using virtual reality.

Conditions

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Conventional outpatient PT group (n=30).

Conventional outpatient PT group received typical physical exercises with duration of 6 weeks

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Conventional Physiotherapy group

Intervention Type: OTHER

Participants in the regular physical therapy group performed balance and coordination exercises three times a week without the use of rewards. These subjects completed only physical exercises, without engaging in game-like interactive tasks using virtual reality (VR) glasses. Each session was conducted at the same time for each subject, with a potential variation of ±1 hour.

Reward-based PT group

This group received reward based virtual reality exercises with duration of 6 weeks. Reward was extra exercises using virtual reality

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Reward based physiotherapy group

Intervention Type: OTHER

Subjects in the reward group performed balance and coordination exercises three times a week, with the inclusion of rewards. At the end of each exercise session, participants engaged in game-like interactive tasks using virtual reality (VR) glasses. Exercise sessions were conducted at the same time for each subject, with a permissible variation of ±1 hour.

Interventions

Conventional Physiotherapy group

Participants in the regular physical therapy group performed balance and coordination exercises three times a week without the use of rewards. These subjects completed only physical exercises, without engaging in game-like interactive tasks using virtual reality (VR) glasses. Each session was conducted at the same time for each subject, with a potential variation of ±1 hour.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Reward based physiotherapy group

Subjects in the reward group performed balance and coordination exercises three times a week, with the inclusion of rewards. At the end of each exercise session, participants engaged in game-like interactive tasks using virtual reality (VR) glasses. Exercise sessions were conducted at the same time for each subject, with a permissible variation of ±1 hour.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Diagnosis of ADHD confirmed by a neurologist;

2. male gender;

3. age between 8 and 10 years.

4. ability to read and write;

5. patient's willingness to attend physiotherapy sessions;

Exclusion Criteria

1. claustrophobia;

2. neurological disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette's syndrome);

3. chronic medical conditions (e.g., cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases);

4. previous treatment for ADHD (e.g., pharmacological therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy) within the last six months;

5. Medication use.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 8 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 10 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Lithuanian Sports University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Vilma Dudoniene

assoc. prof. dr.

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Vilma VD Dudoniene, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lithuanian Sports University

Vilma Dudoniene, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Lithuanian Sports University

Locations

Department of health promotion and rehabilitation

Kaunas, , Lithuania

Countries

Lithuania

Other Identifiers

Lithuanian Sports University

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id