Methodology for the design and development of serious games as a tool for the treatment of ADHD-related symptoms in children

In recent years, serious video games have emerged as effective tools to support the educational and therapeutic needs of children, proving to be intellectually stimulating and successful in achieving specific objectives. This article focuses on the methodology for designing and developing serious games tailored to address deficits in children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). To ensure the quality and effectiveness of the games, the proposed methodology integrates the findings from a comprehensive review of the key characteristics that video games should meet in order to satisfy the therapeutic and cognitive needs of children with ADHD. As part of the video games co-design process, a multidisciplinary team was formed, comprising professionals from psychology, education, and computer science. Additionally, the methodology includes an evaluation phase to validate the games’ playability, engagement, and adherence to the established design criteria. The sample consisted of 12 adult participants (6 males, 6 females) and 13 neurotypical children, aged 8 to 12 (6 girls, 7 boys). The three games developed were implemented on mobile devices to guarantee accessibility and portability in therapeutic and educational settings. Preliminary results confirm the successful inclusion of key elements that video games should feature to address the specific needs of ADHD children, as well as the positive evaluation of the games in terms of Playability and Sympathy Enjoyment. These findings highlight the potential of a structured design methodology as a replicable model for developing therapeutic interventions for children with this disorder using serious games.