In June 2020, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first prescription digital game as therapy for children between the ages of 8 and 12 who struggle with ADHD. Numerous clinical tests have been conducted with children who have ADHD and the results indicated that there was a noticeable improvement in attention function as measured by computer-based testing (source). Here is a quick snapshot of the results:
of children in the study indicated any improvement in their overall attention after 90 days
(Source)
of children in the same study indicated a large improvement (>30% from baseline) in their overall attention
(Source)
of parents in a separate study reported a significant improvement in their child's attention
(Source)
As the app is still in its infancy stages, it has not been submitted for review by the FDA or rigorously tested through month-long clinical studies. However, we are working extremely closely with Child Psychologists who specialize in ADHD and Occupational Therapists in several school districts to run several pilot studies and understand the long term impact on a child's attention after significant usage. While we don't have the government's seal of approval quite yet, the initial numbers are very promising:
of parent-assigned task in Joon are completed in time and parents report a significant increase in focus on daily tasks & routines
Real life activities to screen time. We built the game to minimize screen-time usage, and maximize time spent in real-life doing important activities.
Joon has been reviewed extensively by Common Sense Media and has been deemed "Child Safe"
The magic of Joon really exists in how the game balances in-game mechanics with real life tasks. While many other video games may claim that their game helps children focus, the logic there is inherently flawed. Its extremely easy for a child to focus on a video game for hours because they're so fun and stimulating. However, it's very difficult to pay attention to schoolwork and other at home activities after playing video games because those are inherently boring. Being good at the former by no means translates to being good at the latter.
Joon is different because it combines both of these environments into one. The only way to focus on the game and level up is by focusing on these important real-life tasks first. That is the true magic parents see with Joon and what separates it from any other video game in the world.