Paper on Pediatric Rehabilitation Published in the Games for Health Journal

Dr. Rick Adams and Dr. Matthew Lichter of Barron Associates, Inc. co-authored a paper titled “Concurrent Validity of Measures of Upper Extremity Function Derived from Videogame-Based Motion Capture for Children with Hemiplegia” which has been published in the Games for Health Journal (DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2022.0160). The work, produced under the Motivating Occupational Virtual Experiences In Therapy for kids (MOVE-IT) SBIR program (NIH 2R44HD092169), details evidence of the concurrent validity for outcome measures produced via motion capture of upper extremity (arm and hand) movement by children during use of a therapy videogaming system. Two of the candidate measures, representing smoothness and speed of movement, are shown to have high validity and to be superior to alternatives for tracking the functional motor status of children with hemiplegia. Ongoing research under the MOVE-IT project is investigating the efficacy of a home exercise program based on an expanded version of the therapy videogame for improvement of UE motor function in children with hemiplegia in a 10-week program involving independent use at home with parental supervision. Co-authors on the paper include Dr Christopher Lunsford (Duke University), Dr. Richard Stevenson (University of Virginia), Dr. Allison Ellington (Mary Baldwin University), and James Patrie (biostatistical consultant).