NCT04698577

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

Evaluation of a School-Based Attention Training Programme for Improving Sustained Attention: A Cluster Randomised Pilot Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 36 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Limerick · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 9 Years – 11 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

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

Detailed 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.

Conditions

• Attention Concentration Difficulty

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Attention Training	The training was delivered face-to-face in groups of three participants. Participants were involved in a game of table tennis with two players and one spectator. The roles were rotated every 5 minutes so that each participant experienced 10 minutes of play and 5 minutes of observation. The game was played as normal with one point awarded to the player for every score achieved. All 3 players were asked to keep the score of the game in their minds during each 5-minute round. Participants had two objectives 1) to play and win the game and 2) to silently keep the score of the game. The researcher watched the game and accurately kept score, using a notepad. At the end of every 5-minute round, the researcher paused play and asked each child to write down the score they were holding in their mind. The researcher then revealed the true score, asked participants to swap roles and commence another round.
BEHAVIORAL	Active Control	The control group was the same as the training group except for the core training mechanism; children were not required to mentally keep score. The researcher kept score by continually calling out the updated score as each point was won. The observing child was simply told to wait his/her turn.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-11-26
• Primary completion: 2019-05-30
• Completion: 2019-05-30
• First posted: 2021-01-07
• Last updated: 2021-01-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Ireland