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

Purpose 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). Methods We searched 4 databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and IEEE Xplore up to December 2, 2024. Results 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). Conclusion 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. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024534097 , identifier CRD42024534097.