A non-immersive virtual reality serious game to assess distractor inhibition and spatial attention in post-stroke individuals
(2025) Smart Health — Vol. 37, n° 100595, p. 100595 (2025)
Files
sorrentino2025.pdf
Open Access - Adobe PDF
- 2.3 MB
Details
- Authors
- Abstract
- Background REAsmash, a non-immersive virtual reality serious game based on Feature Integration Theory (FIT) was used to evaluate distractor inhibition and spatial attention. Methods Participants (15 post-stroke and 15 age matched healthy controls) performed the visual search REAsmash task with manipulations of high and low target-distractor salience and distractor number. Dependent variables included frequency of errors and omissions and mean correct response time. Results Post-stroke participants made more errors (χ2(1) = 19.452, p < 0.001) and omissions (χ2(1) = 55.108, p < 0.001), and responded slower (F(1,28) = 17.957, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.391) than controls. FIT significant effects showed salience (F(1,28) = 497.626, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.947), distractor number (F(2,56) = 24.968, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.471), and a salience and distractor number interaction (F(2,56) = 26.616, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.487), with increased distractor number slowing response time in the low salience condition. A salience-by-group interaction (F(1,28) = 7.794, p = 0.009, η2 = 0.218) indicated greater post-stroke difficulties in low salience conditions. A target-hand congruency (Simon) effect was observed only in post-stroke participants (F(1,28) = 4.499, p = 0.043, η2 = 0.138). Conclusion REAsmash-niVR replicated FIT results, confirming its validity for assessing distractor inhibition and spatial attention in post-stroke populations. Future research will compare individuals with and without visual neglect and explore rehabilitation applications to improve spatial attention and motor responses.
- Affiliations
Citations
Sorrentino, G., Everard, G., Vanhoof, F., Lejeune, T., & Edwards, M. (2025). A non-immersive virtual reality serious game to assess distractor inhibition and spatial attention in post-stroke individuals. Smart Health, 37(100595), 100595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhl.2025.100595 (Original work published 2025)