Evaluation of a School-Based Attention Training Programme for Improving Concentration
Condition: Attention Concentration Difficulty
Study type: Interventional

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.
    

Intervention name(s): Attention Training; Active Control
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): 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.; 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.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: This is a two arm, single-blind, pilot cluster randomised study. Participants were randomly allocated to the attention training group or active control group based on class groups (three class groups of fourth-class students and one class group of fifth-class students).
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Attention training; Cognitive training; Attention; Sustained attention; Working memory; School intervention; Children