Executive function outcomes following an immersive virtual reality game based intervention in Peruvian schoolchildren

Objective This exploratory study examined changes in executive-function performance following an immersive virtual reality game-based program in Peruvian schoolchildren. Methods Fifty-one children from a public school in southern Peru participated (mean age = 11.27 years, SD = 0.75). The project leader used random numbers generated in Microsoft Excel to allocate children within grade and classroom strata to an experimental group (n = 25) or a usual-activity control group ( n = 26). No a priori sample-size calculation was performed. The intervention comprised eight sessions over 4 weeks, with all five games presented in each session and up to 7.5 min of active exposure. Executive functions were assessed before and after the program using the six ENFEN scores; no single score was prioritized. Linear mixed-effects models were adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index. Results Among 50 children with longitudinal data, the Time × Group estimates favored the experimental group for Rings ( β = −45.12, 95% CI [−82.50, −7.74], nominal p = 0.022) and Interference ( β = 16.42, 95% CI [1.29, 31.55], nominal p = 0.039). No, statistically significant interactions were identified for the remaining outcomes. No correction for multiple testing was applied. Conclusion These task-specific findings are exploratory and require replication. They do not establish a benefit specific to immersion or cognitive training independently of novelty, engagement, and additional adult attention.