Computerized Eye-tracking Attention Training for Children With Special Needs

NCT04178421 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2018-0298
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 96
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Children with special needs (e.g. autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) are found to have sustained attention problems. Several behavioral interventions have been carried out in the past to improve this situation. However, these interventions are often involved a high administration cost. Recently, researchers have been focusing on training the eye gaze fixation using the eye-tracking training games, as some of the research studies reported a correlation between atypical eye gaze patterns with poor sustained attention. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized eye-tracking attention training. Two batches of 48 primary school students will be recruited from email and the subject pool of the Department of Psychology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Participants are dividedly randomly and equally into either intervention or control group. Participants in both groups will undergo pre- and post-assessments measuring the executive function and attention before and after the intervention, respectively. However, there will be eight eye-tracking training sessions for the intervention group, but only the assessments are received in the control group. It is hypothesized that after the training, the performance of the training games and assessments will improve, indicated by increasing accuracy rates, as well as the reaction time of the tasks. The results would provide important information on the value of computerized eye gaze training and would guide the direction of interventions that target on improving the sustained attention and impulse control of children with special needs.

Conditions

ADHD; ASD; Learning Disorders

Keywords

Sustained attention; Impulse control; Eye-tracking; Special needs; Computerized training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test (Cognitive Test)

  flanker inhibitory control and attention test to assess their attention

  through study completion, an average of 2 year

• Dimensional Change Card Sort Test (Psychological Test Battery)

  the Dimensional Change Card Sort Test to measure executive function

  through study completion, an average of 2 year

Study Arms (2)

Experimental Group

EXPERIMENTAL

A computerized eye -tracking program training the eye gaze fixation with the target to improve impulse control and sustained attention of children with special needs

Other: Computerized training program

Control Group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Computerized program

Other: Placebo

Interventions

Computerized training program OTHER

Eye-gaze fixation computer based training program

Experimental Group

Placebo OTHER

Pac-Man, Zookeeper, Tetris

Also known as: Computerized program

Control Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• a total of 96 primary school children (aged between 6 to 12 years) with special needs, defined by psychological disorders such as ASD, ADHD, ADD, and Dyslexia

You may not qualify if:

• Children with mental retardation will be excluded

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Sites (1)

Neuropsychology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Learning Disabilities

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Communication Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor Chan Sui-yin Agnes

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 22, 2019
• First Posted: November 26, 2019
• Study Start: September 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: August 30, 2019
• Study Completion: September 10, 2019
• Last Updated: November 26, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-11

Locations

HK (1)