# Effects of video game-based interventions on executive functions and motor skills in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

## TL;DR

This study finds that video games can help improve thinking and motor skills in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

## Contribution

The paper provides a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of video game interventions for executive functions and motor skills in children with NDDs.

## Key findings

- Video games show small to medium improvements in inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory.
- Active video games improve cognitive flexibility, while sedentary games help with working memory.
- Gross motor skills also show improvement, though results are preliminary due to study limitations.

## Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of video game-based interventions in improving executive functions and motor skills in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).

We searched 4 databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and IEEE Xplore up to December 2, 2024.

Compared to the control groups, the video game-based intervention groups exhibited a small to medium effect size for inhibitory control (SMD = −0.41, 95% CI: −0.58 to −0.25, P < 0.001), cognitive flexibility (SMD = −0.33, 95% CI: −0.50 to −0.15, P < 0.001), and working memory (SMD = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.27–0.58, P < 0.001) within the domain of executive functions. Additionally, a small to medium effect size was noted in gross motor skills (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.07–0.82, P < 0.05).

Video games can serve as an adjunctive therapy to improve executive functions and gross motor skills in children and adolescents with NDDs. Active video games (AVGs) demonstrate improvements in cognitive flexibility, while sedentary video games (SVGs) show improvements in working memory. Intervention frequency and session duration also influence outcomes. However, due to study heterogeneity and limited sample sizes, these findings remain preliminary and exploratory.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024534097, identifier CRD42024534097.