The Effects of VR-Based Multi-Task Sensorimotor Intervention on Motor Skill Learning in Children with ADHD and Developmental Coordination Disorder Comorbidity

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are two prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders and occur with a comorbidity rate of up to 50%. Both of the two conditions are associated with significant motor skill deficits. The existed interventions often emphasize the outcomes of learning while the learning process is often overlooked underlining the inconsistent results. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 12-week Enhanced Multi-Task Sensorimotor Intervention (MTSI) in improving motor skill learning in children with ADHD, DCD, and their comorbidity. A total of 139 children (ADHD: n = 37, ADHD + DCD: n = 33, DCD: n = 34, Typically Developing [TD]: n = 35) participated in the MTSI, which involved five multi-sensory motor tasks integrating visual, auditory, and proprioceptive feedback. Motor skill learning provided MTSI system was assessed and changes in gross and fine motor skills were analyzed before and after intervention. All groups demonstrated significant improvements in motor skills ( p  < 0.01, η² = 0.31–0.84), with ADHD children showed the most substantial gains in gross motor skills. Children with ADHD + DCD combidity demonstrated more improvement than DCD children but less than ADHD children. And further, motor skill retention was well-maintained for all the three groups of children. These findings highlight the potential role of VR-based sensorimotor interventions to enhance motor skill acquisition and retention in children with ADHD and DCD as well as for those with ADHD and DCD combidity, and offer a novel and promising strategy for the enhancement of their moter dificiency.