Digital cognitive training in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

A 5-week Digital Intervention to Reduce Attention Problems in Children With ADHD: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

Growing evidence suggests digital interventions may provide neurocognitive benefits for children with ADHD. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a digital attention intervention in children with ADHD.

METHOD

In this double-blind randomized controlled trial 55 children with ADHD (5-9 years) were allocated to the intervention (N = 28) or control program (N = 27). Both programs were delivered via touchscreen tablets at home 5 days a week for 5 weeks. The primary outcome was change in the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) Attention Comparison Score (ACS) from pre- to post-intervention.

RESULTS

Participants who received the intervention had significantly greater improvements in the TOVA ACS from pre- to post-intervention than those in the control (p < .044). No intervention effects were observed on secondary outcomes assessing executive functioning, ADHD symptoms, or functional impairment.

CONCLUSION

Collectively these findings provide insufficient evidence for the implementation of digital attention interventions for children with ADHD.

Efficacy of a dialogic book-sharing intervention in a South African birth cohort: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Evidence shows that dialogic book-sharing improves language development in young children in low-middle income countries (LMICs), particularly receptive and expressive language. It is unclear whether this intervention also boosts development of other neurocognitive and socio-emotional domains in children. Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) nested in the Drakenstein Child Health Study (DCHS), a book-sharing intervention was implemented in caregivers of 3.5-year-old preschool children living in low-income South African communities.

METHODS

122 Caregivers and their children (mean age 3.5 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 61) or waitlist control group (n = 61). A neurocognitive battery determined baseline receptive and expressive language, executive function, theory of mind, and behavior scores.

RESULTS

No differences were observed between intervention and control groups on receptive and expressive language, or any of the neurocognitive or socio-emotional measures from baseline (3.5 years) to 4 months post-intervention administration (4 years).

CONCLUSION

The benefits noted in prior literature of book-sharing in infants did not appear to be demonstrated at 4 months post-intervention, in children from 3.5 to 4 years of age. This suggests the importance of early intervention and emphasizes the need for further research on adaptation of book-sharing for older participants in a South African context.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

retrospectively registered on 03/04/2022 PACTR202204697674974.

Training inhibitory control in adolescents with elevated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder traits: a randomised controlled trial of the Alfi Virtual Reality programme

INTRODUCTION

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterised by significant deficits in attention and inhibition. These deficits are associated with negative sequelae that emerge in childhood and often continue throughout adolescence. Despite these difficulties adolescents with ADHD often demonstrate poor treatment compliance with traditional interventions (eg, psychostimulant medication). Virtual reality (VR) presents an innovative means of delivering engaging cognitive interventions for adolescents with ADHD and offers the potential to improve compliance with such interventions. The current parallel, randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of a VR intervention (Alfi) designed to improve inhibition in adolescents with ADHD.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A sample of 100 adolescents (aged 13-17) with elevated ADHD symptoms will be recruited from secondary schools and ADHD organisations located in the state of Victoria, Australia. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an 8-week VR intervention or a usual care control. The VR intervention involves the completion of 14 sessions, each 20 min in duration. Participants will complete computerised assessments of inhibition and risk-taking preintervention and immediately postintervention. Parents/guardians will complete online questionnaires about their child's ADHD symptoms and social functioning at each of these timepoints. The primary outcome is change in inhibition performance in adolescents who received the intervention from preintervention to postintervention compared with adolescents in the control condition. Secondary outcomes include change in risk-taking, ADHD symptoms and social functioning in adolescents who received the intervention from preintervention to postintervention compared with adolescents in the control condition. If the intervention is shown to be effective, it may offer a supplementary approach to traditional interventions for adolescents with ADHD experiencing inhibitory control difficulties.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This trial has ethics approval from the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) (21530) and the Victorian Department of Education and Training HREC (2020_004271). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings and community activities. Individual summaries of the results will be provided to participants on request.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12620000647932.