In the last few years, several computerized tasks have been developed to increase the objectivity of the diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This article proposes the “running raccoon” video game to assess the severity of inattention in patients diagnosed with ADHD. Unlike existing tests, the proposed tool is a genuine video game in which the patient must make a raccoon avatar jump to avoid falling into different gaps. The distance to the gap is recorded for each jump. To evaluate the proposed game, an experiment was conducted in which 32 children diagnosed with ADHD participated. For each participant, the median and interquartile range of these distances were calculated, along with the number of omissions. Experimental results showed a significant correlation between the participants’ inattention (measured by the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Normal Behavior rating scale (SWAN) inattention subscale) with each of these three measures. In addition to its accuracy, other benefits are its short duration and the possibility of being run on both standard computers and mobile devices. These characteristics facilitate its acceptance in clinical environments or even its telematic use. The obtained results, together with the characteristics of the video game, make it an excellent tool to support clinicians in the diagnosis of ADHD.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder known for its significant heterogeneity and varied symptom presentation. Describing the different subtypes as predominantly inattentive (ADHD–I), combined (ADHD–C), and hyperactive–impulsive (ADHD–H) relies primarily on clinical observations, which can be subjective. To address the need for more objective diagnostic methods, this pilot study implemented a Microsoft Kinect-based Stroop Color–Word Test (KSWCT) with the objective of investigating the potential differences in executive function and motor control between different subtypes in a group of children and adolescents with ADHD. A series of linear mixture modeling were used to encompass the performance accuracy, reaction times, and extraneous movements during the tests. Our findings suggested that age plays a critical role, and older subjects showed improvements in KSWCT performance; however, no significant divergence in activity level between the subtypes (ADHD–I and ADHD–H/C) was established. Patients with ADHD–H/C showed tendencies toward deficits in motor planning and executive control, exhibited by shorter reaction times for incorrect responses and more difficulty suppressing erroneous responses. This study provides preliminary evidence of unique executive characteristics among ADHD subtypes, advances our understanding of the heterogeneity of the disorder, and lays the foundation for the development of refined and objective diagnostic tools for ADHD.
Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) include excessive activity, difficulty sustaining attention, and inability to act in a reflective manner. Early diagnosis and treatment of ADHD is key but may be influenced by the observation and communication skills of caregivers, and the experience of the medical professional. Attempts to obtain additional measures to support the medical diagnosis, such as reaction time when performing a task, can be found in the literature. We propose an information recording system that allows to study in detail the behavior shown by children already diagnosed with ADHD during a car driving video game. We continuously record the participants’ activity throughout the task and calculate the error committed. Studying the trajectory graphs, some children showed uniform patterns, others lost attention from one point onwards, and others alternated attention/inattention intervals. Results show a dependence between the age of the children and their performance. Moreover, by analyzing the positions by age over time using clustering, we show that it is possible to classify children according to their performance. Future studies will examine whether this detailed information about each child’s performance pattern can be used to fine-tune treatment.
A metaverse intervention demonstrated the potential to eliminate female orgasmic disorder criteria in short and long term After a 12-week intervention in Second Life, statistically and clinically significant differences were found 100% of participants with female orgasmic disorder recovered after undergoing an avatar-based treatment
Emergency nurses are exposed daily to numerous stressful situations that can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This study examined the relationship between traumatic events, routine stressors linked to trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in emergency nurses. For this purpose, a sample of 147 emergency nurses completed the Traumatic and Routine Stressors Scale on Emergency Nurses (TRSS-EN) and the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS-5). Results of correlations and moderate multiple regression analyses showed that the emotional impact of routine stressors was associated with a greater number of PTSD symptoms, and, apparently, to greater severity, in comparison to the emotional impact of traumatic events. Furthermore, the emotional impact of traumatic events acts as a moderator, changing the relationship between the emotional impact of routine stressors and PTSD symptoms, in the sense that the bigger the emotional impact of traumatic events, the bigger the relationship between the emotional impact of routine stressors and PTSD symptoms. These results suggest that the exposure to routine work-related stressors, in a context characterized by the presence of traumatic events may make emergency nurses particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress reactions. Some prevention measures are suggested according to the results of the study.
Emergency nurses are exposed to traumatic events and routine stressors, both of which can lead to the development of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptomatology. However, there are currently no instruments designed to assess the impact and frequency of such sources of stress in nurses. The Traumatic and Routine Stressors Scale on Emergency Nurses (TRSS-EN) was built for this purpose. A sample of 147 emergency nurses from three hospitals in Madrid (Spain) completed this 13-item scale. The analyses showed a factorial structure composed of two factors. The first is characterized by items regarding traumatic and stressful events and procedures of severe magnitude (traumatic stressors), and the second by items related to stressful events and procedures of moderate magnitude (routine stressors) but hypothesized to possess a substantial traumatic potential. Analyses provided evidence of both adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.92; first factor α = 0.91 and second factor α = 0.86) and test–retest reliability. In addition, concurrent validity also proved to be satisfactory. In short, TRSS-EN seems to be a reliable and valid tool in a healthcare emergency nursing setting for screening the frequency and impact of exposure to everyday work-related traumatic stressors, either event-related or routine.