Linh Tran: Optimizing Reliability in the Attention Network Test with Virtual Reality

<p dir="ltr">The Attention Network Test (ANT) is widely used to assess individual and group differences in attentional control and its impacts on ADHD. However, it was found to lack the reliability level needed to draw concrete conclusions. This study investigated whether using Virtual Reality (VR) with reaching movements could enhance the reliability of the ANT compared to traditional button-pressing methods. Sixty-three participants (ages 18–26) completed a VR-based ANT. Split-half reliability for the executive network exceeded the recommended threshold of .80. Although estimates of initiation times (the time elapsed from stimulus presentation to movement initiation) for the alerting (.62) and orienting (.70) networks fell below the threshold, they were still higher than those in previous studies. The findings suggest that VR-based ANT provides a more reliable and ecologically valid assessment of attentional control than the button-pressing tasks. This can enhance our understanding of high-incidence disorders that impact attentional functioning, such as ADHD. </p>