Standardization and validity of Chefmania, a video game designed as a cognitive screening test for children

Abstract The potential of video games as diagnostic tools for cognitive deficits has been poorly studied. There is a lack of well-designed studies addressing the psychometric properties and standardization values of video games. Chefmania is a video game designed as a screening test in Spanish to determine cognitive alterations, as well as academic concepts such as number, space, time, and instructions follow-up in children above 6 years of age. The present study aimed to evaluate the validity of Chefmania as well as the normative values of a Mexican sample. The standardization included 266 children divided into three age groups: 6–7, 8–9, and 10–12 years olds; concurrent validity was determined by the correlation between Chefmania and other standardized cognitive batteries. Discriminant validity was determined by the comparison of Chefmania scores between school children and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Standardization showed an age effect, where older children performed better in Chefmania subtests. Chefmania showed significant and moderate correlations with other cognitive batteries. Children with ADHD showed poorer performance. Chefmania is a valid instrument for the assessment of cognition and is suitable for use in schools.