VR program to improve focus during homework for emerging adults with ADHD
Development of a Novel Virtual Reality Treatment for Emerging Adults With ADHD
This trial will test whether using a virtual reality headset, with or without real-time feedback about focus, helps 18–25-year-olds with ADHD stay focused while doing homework and studying.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 4 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 252 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Baton Rouge, Louisiana and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07169760 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a multi-site, parallel-group randomized trial that will assign emerging adults with ADHD (ages 18–25) to one of three conditions: VR passthrough control, VR headset alone, or VR headset with feedback about focus, using a 1:1:1 blocked randomization stratified by ADHD medication status. After a two-session baseline without VR, participants will receive a Meta Quest 3 headset and computer and complete up to ten 1-hour at-home VR study/homework sessions over two weeks. Outcomes include self-reported concentration, homework effort and motivation, and objective keyboard and mouse click data to measure productivity; proposed mechanisms are measured every session. Phase 4 increases sample size to approximately 252 randomized participants to provide more precise estimates of feasibility, usability, and preliminary effects.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are 18–25-year-olds who meet DSM-5 criteria for ADHD and report frequent homework concentration problems (ACI item mean >2.0) and can complete remote VR sessions.
Not a fit: Patients outside the 18–25 age range, those without significant homework concentration problems, or individuals unable to tolerate or use VR headsets (e.g., severe motion sickness or incompatible visual impairments) may not receive benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help emerging adults with ADHD improve concentration and homework productivity, making studying more efficient and less frustrating.
How similar studies have performed: Early pilot studies and smaller trials suggest VR can increase engagement and attention in related populations, but large randomized trials in emerging adults with ADHD remain limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants must meet DSM-5 criteria for ADHD * Between the ages of 18 and 25 * Given high rates of comorbidities in college students with ADHD, participants who meet criteria for ODD, anxiety or depressive disorders on the diagnostic interview are not excluded * Participants must have an item mean score of \>2.0 (often or very often) on the homework task specific version of the Adult Concentration Index (ACI), ensuring the presence of a problem in the mechanism being targeted in this study * The participant has to endorse a total of at least 5 symptoms in the ADHD inattention domain as currently present and impairing and at least 6 symptoms in the ADHD inattention domain as present and impairing during childhood * To rule out exclusionary conditions and/or to assess for the presence of comorbid conditions, psychological functioning will be assessed using the DSM-5 version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID-5-RV) Exclusion Criteria: * Whether primary or not, the comorbid presence of several other conditions will be exclusionary.This includes autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, active substance abuse, and other psychiatric conditions whose treatment precludes participation in the study. * Students who do not meet criteria for ADHD are not eligible * Students who are not in the specified age range are also not eligible to participate * Students with a history of seizures are not eligible to participate given the use of VR
Where this trial is running
Baton Rouge, Louisiana and 1 other locations
- Louisiana State University — Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States (Recruiting)
- Rutgers University - New Brunswick — New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Joshua M Langberg, PhD — Rutgers University
- Study coordinator: Joshua M Langberg, PhD
- Email: jl3079@gsapp.rutgers.edu
- Phone: (848) 445-2000
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.