Trends in South Korean Medical Device Development for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Narrative Review
Authors: Cho Yunah , Talboys Sharon L 
Published: September 2024

Background

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are among the most prevalent mental disorders among school-aged youth in South Korea and may play a role in the increasing pressures on teachers and school-based special education programming. A lack of support for special education; tensions between teachers, students, and parents; and limited backup for teacher absences are common complaints among Korean educators. New innovations in technology to screen and treat ADHD and ASD may offer relief to students, parents, and teachers through earlier and efficient diagnosis; access to treatment options; and ultimately, better-managed care and expectations.

Objective

This narrative literature review provides an account of medical device use and development in South Korea for the diagnosis and management of ADHD and ASD and highlights research gaps.

Methods

A narrative review was conducted across 4 databases (PubMed, Korean National Assembly Library, Scopus, and PsycINFO). Journal articles, dissertations, and government research and development reports were included if they discussed medical devices for ADHD and ASD. Only Korean or English papers were included. Resources were excluded if they did not correspond to the research objective or did not discuss at least 1 topic about medical devices for ADHD and ASD. Journal articles were excluded if they were not peer reviewed. Resources were limited to publications between 2013 and July 22, 2024.

Results

A total of 1794 records about trends in Korean medical device development were categorized into 2 major groups: digital therapeutics and traditional therapy. Digital therapeutics resulted in 5 subgroups: virtual reality and artificial intelligence, machine learning and robot, gaming and visual contents, eye-feedback and movement intervention, and electroencephalography and neurofeedback. Traditional therapy resulted in 3 subgroups: cognitive behavioral therapy and working memory; diagnosis and rating scale; and musical, literary therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Digital therapeutics using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and electroencephalography technologies account for the biggest portions of development in South Korea, rather than traditional therapies. Most resources, 94.15% (1689/1794), were from the Korean National Assembly Library.

Conclusions

Limitations include small sizes of populations to conclude findings in many articles, a lower number of articles discussing medical devices for ASD, and a majority of articles being dissertations. Emerging digital medical devices and those integrated with traditional therapies are important solutions to reducing the prevalence rates of ADHD and ASD in South Korea by promoting early diagnosis and intervention. Furthermore, their application will relieve pressures on teachers and school-based special education programming by providing direct supporting resources to students with ADHD or ASD. Future development of medical devices for ADHD and ASD is predicted to heavily rely on digital technologies, such as those that sense people’s behaviors, eye movement, and brainwaves.