Combined Effects of Virtual Reality and Computer Game-Based Cognitive Therapy on the Development of Visual-Motor Integration in Children with Intellectual Disabilities: A Pilot Study
Si-Nae Ahn
Abstract
Purpose. Visual-motor integration is a good indicator of a child’s overall developmental and functional level. This study investigated the combined effects of virtual reality (VR) and computer game-based cognitive therapy on the development of visual-motor integration in children with intellectual disabilities. Methods. The study used a single-group pre-post study design and 13 children with intellectual disabilities who were recruited from a community rehabilitation center participated in the study. We used the Wii VR video game and the CoTras computer game to deliver cognitive therapy over 12 sessions. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 (BOT-2) was used to evaluate motor function related to visual-motor integration to identify changes in function, and the Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2 (DTVP-2) was used to assess changes in visual perception function associated with visual-motor integration. Results. The VR and computer game-based cognitive therapy has shown significant difference in total standard score of BOT-2 associated with visual-motor integration representing improved motor function ( <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"> <a:mi>p</a:mi> <a:mo><</a:mo> <a:mn>0.01</a:mn> </a:math> ). Comparison of the DTVP-2 scores showed the significant difference in visual-motor integration of spatial relation and visual-motor speed ( <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"> <c:mi>p</c:mi> <c:mo><</c:mo> <c:mn>0.05</c:mn> </c:math> ), motor-reduced visual perception ( <e:math xmlns:e="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"> <e:mi>p</e:mi> <e:mo><</e:mo> <e:mn>0.01</e:mn> </e:math> ), and general visual perception ( <g:math xmlns:g="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M4"> <g:mi>p</g:mi> <g:mo><</g:mo> <g:mn>0.01</g:mn> </g:math> ). Conclusions. Results of this study provide useful evidence supporting the possibility of combined VR and computer game-based cognitive therapy for children with intellectual disabilities.