title: Impact of Attention Training on Academic Achievement, Executive Functioning, and Behavior: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience significant difficulties in attention, learning, executive functions, and behavioral regulation. Emerging evidence suggests that computerized cognitive training may remediate these impairments. In a double blind controlled trial, 76 children with IDD (4-11 years) were randomized to either an attention training (n = 38) or control program (n = 38). Both programs were completed at home over a 5-week period. Outcome measures assessed literacy, numeracy, executive functioning, and behavioral/emotional problems, and were conducted at baseline, post-training, and 3-month follow-up. No training effects were observed at post-training; however, children in the training group showed greater improvements in numeracy skills at the 3-month follow-up. These results suggest that attention training may be beneficial for children with IDD; however, the modest nature of the intervention effects indicate that caution should be taken when interpreting clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Hannah Kirk, Kylie Gray, Kirsten Ellis, John Taffe, and Kim Cornish, Monash University, Australia.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: Hannah Kirk, Kylie Gray, Kirsten Ellis, John Taffe, and Kim Cornish, Monash University, Australia.
authors.forename: Kylie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Hannah Kirk, Kylie Gray, Kirsten Ellis, John Taffe, and Kim Cornish, Monash University, Australia.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Hannah Kirk, Kylie Gray, Kirsten Ellis, John Taffe, and Kim Cornish, Monash University, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taffe
authors.affiliation: Hannah Kirk, Kylie Gray, Kirsten Ellis, John Taffe, and Kim Cornish, Monash University, Australia.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cornish
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D001288:Attention; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009520:New Zealand; D011594:Psychometrics; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: attention; cognitive training; developmental disability; intellectual disability