Investigating the efficacy of an attention training programme in children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Abstract

Objective: The current study investigated the efficacy of a direct intervention programme aimed at improving attention abilities in children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).Methods: The Computerized Progressive Attention Training (CPAT) program is an intervention which targets proposed attention networks. CPAT task difficulty automatically adjusts based on participant performance. Ten children aged 6–15 with FASD completed an average of 16 hours of intervention over ∼9 weeks at school, aided by a research assistant providing metacognitive strategies and support.Results: Pre- and post-intervention assessments indicate significant improvement on several attention measures including sustained attention and selective attention. In addition, several measures of spatial working memory, math fluency, and reading fluency also significantly increased, suggesting that better attention leads to better cognitive performance.Conclusion: Results provide support for the use of computerized attention training materials as part of an effective intervention for cognitive performance in children with FASD.