Systematic Review of the Effects of Cognitive Intervention Applications: A Focus on Korean Literature Research

Purpose: This study aimed to provide evidence supporting the use of cognitive rehabilitation applications by systematically analyzing the targets, types, and effects of treatment in the cognitive intervention literature based on domestic applications. Methods: We searched for studies published between January 2010 and June 2023 in the DBpia, e-article, RISS, and KISS databases. The search terms were (‘application’ OR ‘application’ OR ‘App’ OR ‘tablet’ OR ‘ipad’) AND (‘cognition’ OR ‘memory’ OR ‘attention’ OR ‘problem solving’ OR ‘executive function’). Finally, 12 studies were selected for the analysis. Results: In the 12 selected papers, 5 randomized controlled trials were classified as qualitative level I. The participants were primarily adults (75%), and the most common disease was stroke (33.3%). Memory and attention were the most frequently targeted cognitive domains, each in 10 studies each, followed by visual perception in 5 studies. Cognitive interventions using applications showed significant improvements not only in cognitive function but also in activities of daily living performance, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and treatment preferences. Conclusion: This study confirmed that the application is a promising therapeutic tool to support cognitive intervention. It is meaningful to provide information on the quality level, participants, intervention method, and effectiveness of evidence-based interventions of cognitive rehabilitation using applications.