The Effects of Working Memory Training in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Previous studies indicated that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often suffer from deficits in executive function, such as attentional control, inhibition, and working memory. One of these executive functions, working memory, plays a critical role in academic performance and classroom behavior. Working memory is essential for performing complex cognitive tasks such as comprehension, learning, and reasoning. Several studies have shown that training of working memory has positive effects for ADHD and other cognitive disorder in children. However, transfer effects across studies appear to be variable and inconsistent. Event-related potentials can be a useful tool to gain insights into such mechanism. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate both near and far transfer effects of N-back training in children with ADHD. In addition, the recording and analysis of event-related potentials will be adopted while children with ADHD perform the complex visuo-spatial and phonological working memory tasks.

Official Title
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The Effects of Working Memory Training in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Conditions
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Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity, Psychophysiology

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Working memory training
* Other: perceptual training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: ADHD diagnosed according to criteria specified in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) aged between 8 and 10 years intelligence quotient > 80 (based on Test of Nonverbal Intelligence-Third Edition) had normal or corrected-to-normal vision right-handed Exclusion Criteria: diagnosis of clinically significant oppositional defiant disorder, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Asperger's syndrome or depression history of seizures

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 8 Years
Maximum Age: 10 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Control<br>ADHD group treated with visual-perceptual training | Other: perceptual training<br>* visual-perceptual training program<br>|
| Experimental: Experiment<br>ADHD group treated with working memory training | Other: Working memory training<br>* n-back training program<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Automated Working Memory Assessment | Visuospatial working memory change after intervention measured by Automated Working Memory Assessment | 6 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Working memory index in Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV | Verbal working memory change after intervention measured by Working memory index in WISC-IV | 6 weeks | 
| Event-related potentials | Event-related potentials are measured brain response on effects of working memory training | 6 weeks |