ADHD - Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity, Specific Learning Disability, Specific Learning Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
White noise has been shown to improve working memory and attention in children diagnosed with ADHD . These cognitive abilities are fundamental to the acquisition of reading and writing skills. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of white noise on reading and writing performance in children with a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) attending the first and second cycles of primary school. The study is a randomized crossover clinical trial comprising five sequential phases. Each participant completes two standardized assessment sessions, one with white noise and one without, in a randomized order, separated by a four-week interval. * Phase I (Recruitment and Screening): potential participants are identified and assessed for eligibility at the Centro di Riabilitazione San Raffaele Pisana in Rome. * Phase II (Diagnostic Grouping): eligible children are assigned to one of two diagnostic groups based on their clinical profile (Group SLD + ADHD or Group SLD-only). * Phase III (Randomized Sequencing): Within each diagnostic group, participants are randomly allocated to one of two exposure sequences to counterbalance order effects (White-noise → No-noise, or No-noise → White-noise). * Phase IV (First Assessment Session): standardized assessment under randomized conditions, with or without white noise. * Phase V (Second Assessment Session): standardized assessment, conducted four weeks later, with or without white noise according to the previous randomization.
Interventions
OTHERWhite noise
Reading and writing standardized assessment with white noise. The white noise, created for this study by an audio engineer, is played through a speaker positioned approximately 1 m from the participant, at an intensity of 60-65 dB within the designated testing environment. At the start of each session, participants are informed of its presence to prevent any potential discomfort. This adaptation phase lasts approximately 2-3 minutes.
OTHERNo white noise
Reading and writing standardized assessment in the absence of white noise.
Sponsors
IRCCS San Raffaele Roma
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 13 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Intelligence Quotient (IQ), assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scales (WISC-IV), ≥ 70. * Age between 8 and 13 years. * Diagnosis of SLD, with or without comorbid ADHD according to DSM-5 criteria.
Exclusion criteria
* Genetic disorders or sensory deficits. * Pharmacological treatments that could interfere with task performance (including methylphenidate or specific ADHD treatments).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Accuracy | 4 weeks | For the passage-reading test and the word- and nonword-reading tasks reading accuracy was defined as the total number of errors produced. |
| Reading speed | 4 weeks | For the passage-reading test and the word- and nonword-reading tasks: reading speed, expressed in syllables per second (syl/sec) was calculated by dividing the total number of syllables in the stimulus by the total reading time, measured in seconds. |
Countries
Italy
Outcome results
None listed