Fidgeting and Attentional and Emotional Regulation in ADHD

University of California (UC) Davis

Status

Enrolling

Conditions

ADHD

Treatments

Other: Fidget ball

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT04526600

1607722

Details and patient eligibility

About

This project will study how fidgeting relates to cognitive and emotional functioning in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It will determine, in a laboratory setting, whether movement and access to a "fidget device" providing sensory and motor stimulation can improve cognitive and emotional regulation (including on physiological measures) in adult ADHD. The investigators will also acquire pilot data for machine learning analyses to be used in future, large scale studies to identify gestures and touch characteristics associated with improved cognitive and emotional regulation to see if the data can predict and subsequently develop recommendations to improve performance and emotional control in natural settings (e.g., home, office, college classroom) for adult ADHD.

Full description

Fidgeting is a highly common behavior, with excessive fidgeting associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Studies from the investigator's laboratory and colleagues suggest physical movement can enhance cognitive performance in children with ADHD. Hyper-sensorimotor behavior may be related to impaired regulation of arousal in the noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems. This project will assess if frequency and characteristics of sensorimotor behavior relates to cognitive and emotional response in adults with ADHD, in a fine-grained manner, unlike other studies. The investigators will test if intrinsic fidgeting (Aim 1) and access to a specially designed fidget device (Aim 2) modulates behavioral and physiological response in cognitively and emotionally-demanding contexts. The hype of the commercially available fidget devices, its competitors and fidget spinners suggest it might, but there is no systematic evidence to inform consumers, a gap, the investigators aim to fill.

Enrollment

109 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 30 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

ADHD
History of fidgeting

Exclusion criteria

Currently taking psychoactive medication, with the exception of stimulant medication for ADHD or medication that can affect heart rate;
Presence of significant depression or psychotic disorders, autism, visual or hearing impairment or any other disorder that may interfere with task performance; and IQ below 85