ADHD and Text Comprehension: Comparing Virtual Reality and Real-Life Multitasking in an Academic Context

The impact of digital environments on academic performance, particularly among students with ADHD, has become a significant area of study, especially in the wake of increased online learning during the pandemic. This study evaluates how ADHD symptoms affect text comprehension -including accuracy, retention of quantitative and qualitative data, and logical and working memory - within multitasking academic settings in Virtual Reality (VR) and Real Life (VIVO). In our pilot experimental study, we have assessed 30 students (20 in VR and 10 in VIVO) from Greece and Romania. Participants were divided into four groups: a Control and an Experimental group for both VR and VIVO settings. The students were tasked with one (text), two (text and audio), or three (text, audio, and content creation) simultaneous activities to simulate multitasking. We utilized the Adult ADHD Self-report Scale (ASRS) and a grid of text comprehension to measure the impacts. The findings, analyzed through descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests, revealed significant differences (p=.000, χ^2=33.036) in text comprehension based on the environment (VR vs. VIVO), and the presence of ADHD symptoms. Notably, two-thirds of the participants scored above average for ADHD symptoms. Additionally, a comparison of ADHD symptoms scores from pre-tests to post-tests showed a decreasing trend, aligning with existing literature that supports managing ADHD symptoms through psychoeducation. These results underscore the varying effects of multitasking in academic settings on students with ADHD, and highlight the distinct challenges and benefits presented by VR and VIVO learning environments.