Evaluation of a School-Based Attention Training Programme for Improving Concentration

University of Limerick

Status: Completed

Conditions: Attention Concentration Difficulty

Treatments: Behavioral: Attention Training; Behavioral: Active Control

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04698577

2018_10_10_EHS

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates a school-based attention training programme for improving sustained attention in children.

Full description

Sustained attention is an elementary attentional function that is essential for effective learning and functioning in school. Poor sustained attention is a relatively common problem in childhood with as many as 24% of children exhibiting frequent inattention. Children with attentional difficulties are at increased risk for a variety of negative educational outcomes, including lower standardised grades, dropping out of school and repeating a year. This evidence highlights the need to develop interventions aimed at enhancing students' sustained attention capacity. Current school-based interventions for student attention problems include intervention strategies targeting behavioural, academic and self-regulation. However, none of these interventions aim to enhance attentional capacity. Attention network training (or attention training) has been identified as a potentially promising intervention for enhancing attentional capacity. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of a theory-driven attention training programme, Keeping Score!, in improving students' capacity to sustain attention in a school setting. Training was based on sustained updating. Children engaged this process by mentally keeping score during an interactive face-to-face game without external aids. The study used a cluster randomised design. Students (N = 36) were assigned based on their class group to either the 6-week attention training programme (n = 18) or an active control (n = 18). Outcome measures were assessed at baseline, immediately after training and an approximate 6-week follow up.

Enrollment: 36 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 9 to 11 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 4th and 5th class students
• aged 9 to 11 years
• parent consent and participant assent

Exclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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36 participants in 2 patient groups

Attention Training

Experimental group

Description:

Engaged in sustained updating by mentally keeping score during an interactive game without written or verbal aids. Participants received 15-minute sessions, three times a week for six weeks (18 sessions in total).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Training

Active Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Played the same interactive game as the attention training group without the requirement of mentally keeping score. Participants received 15-minute sessions, three times a week for six weeks (18 sessions in total).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Control