Attention In Preschool Children Research Articles

The Effect of Yoga on Anxiety, Attention and Social-Emotional Symptoms in Preschool Children: A Pilot Quasi-Experimental Study.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a short yoga session on behavioral and cognitive outcomes in preschool children. 72 children ages 4-6 from a local preschool were divided into an intervention group (n = 32), and a control group (n = 40) that completed a 15min, age-appropriate yoga video consisting of interactive poses including: sun salutation, cat, cow, downward dog, upward dog, warrior, gorilla, etc. Three teacher-rated questionnaires and a cancellation task (Cx) were administered pre-intervention and post-intervention. Significant improvement was demonstrated in the yoga group on the teacher-rated questionnaire scores, but not the control group. Correct cancellations increased more in the yoga group compared to the control group, with remaining cancellation metrics demonstrating interaction effects. Findings indicated that a short yoga session improves measures of anxiety, social-emotional behavior, and attention in preschool children. This study suggests that a short 15-minute yoga session may improve behavior and attention in preschool children.

Eye-tracking correlates of response to joint attention in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundA number of differences in joint attention behaviour between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) individuals have previously been documented.MethodWe use eye-tracking technology to assess response to joint attention (RJA) behaviours in 77 children aged 31 to 73 months. We conducted a repeated-measures analysis of variance to identify differences between groups. In addition, we analysed correlations between eye-tracking and clinical measures using Spearman’s correlation.ResultsThe children diagnosed with ASD were less likely to follow gaze compared to TD children. Children with ASD were less accurate at gaze following when only eye gaze information was available, compared to when eye gaze with head movement was observed. Higher accuracy gaze-following profiles were associated with better early cognition and more adaptive behaviours in children with ASD. Less accurate gaze-following profiles were associated with more severe ASD symptomatology.ConclusionThere are differences in RJA behaviours between ASD and TD preschool children. Several eye-tracking measures of RJA behaviours in preschool children were found to be associated with clinical measures for ASD diagnosis. This study also highlights the construct validity of using eye-tracking measures as potential biomarkers in the assessment and diagnosis of ASD in preschool children.

Associations between measures of physical fitness and cognitive performance in preschool children

BackgroundGiven that recent studies report negative secular declines in physical fitness, associations between fitness and cognition in childhood are strongly discussed. The preschool age is characterized by high neuroplasticity which effects motor skill learning, physical fitness, and cognitive development. The aim of this study was to assess the relation of physical fitness and attention (including its individual dimensions (quantitative, qualitative)) as one domain of cognitive performance in preschool children. We hypothesized that fitness components which need precise coordination compared to simple fitness components are stronger related to attention.MethodsPhysical fitness components like static balance (i.e., single-leg stance), muscle strength (i.e., handgrip strength), muscle power (i.e., standing long jump), and coordination (i.e., hopping on one leg) were assessed in 61 healthy children (mean age 4.5 ± 0.6 years; girls n = 30). Attention was measured with the “Konzentrations-Handlungsverfahren für Vorschulkinder” [concentration-action procedure for preschoolers]). Analyses were adjusted for age, body height, and body mass.ResultsResults from single linear regression analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.05) association between physical fitness (composite score) and attention (composite score) (standardized ß = 0.40), showing a small to medium effect (F2 = 0.14). Further, coordination had a significant relation with the composite score and the quantitative dimension of attention (standardized ß = 0.35; p < 0.01; standardized ß = − 0.33; p < 0.05). Coordination explained about 11% (composite score) and 9% (quantitative dimension) of the variance in the stepwise multiple regression model.ConclusionThe results indicate that performance in physical fitness, particularly coordination, is related to attention in preschool children. Thus, high performance in complex fitness components (i.e., hopping on one leg) tends to predict attention in preschool children. Further longitudinal studies should focus on the effectiveness of physical activity programs implementing coordination and complex exercises at preschool age to examine cause-effect relationships between physical fitness and attention precisely.

The relationship of muscular endurance and coordination and dexterity with behavioral and neuroelectric indices of attention in preschool children

This study investigated the associations of non-aerobic fitness (NAF) and motor competence (MC) with attention in 4–6 year-old preschoolers. The allocation of attentional resources and speed of stimulus categorization were examined using the amplitude and latency of P3 of event-related potentials respectively, while cortical activation related to general attention and task-specific discriminative processes were examined using event-related desynchronization (ERD) at lower (8–10 Hz) and upper (10–12 Hz) alpha frequencies, respectively. Seventy-six preschoolers completed NAF (muscular power, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance) and MC (coordination and dexterity, ball skills, agility and balance) test batteries. Electroencephalogram was recorded while participants performed an auditory oddball task. After controlling for age and MC, muscular endurance was positively related to P3 amplitude. MC and its coordination and dexterity sub-component were positively related to task performance, with higher levels of coordination and dexterity showing an additional association with greater upper alpha ERD between 700 and 1000 ms following stimulus onset after controlling for age and NAF. These findings suggest relationships of NAF and MC with early childhood neurocognitive function. Specifically, muscular endurance is related to the neuroinhibition in facilitating effective allocation of attentional resources to stimulus evaluation while coordination and dexterity are related to cortical activation underlying strategic attentional preparation for subsequent stimulus evaluation.

Preference for and reinforcing efficacy of different types of attention in preschool children

It is unknown whether and to what extent common types of attention delivered in early childhood environments are preferred by and function as reinforcers for young children. We assessed children's preference for commonly delivered types of attention across 31 preschool-aged participants (Experiment 1). Next, we conducted a reinforcer assessment (Experiment 2) and a progressive-ratio assessment (Experiment 3) to (a) validate the results of the preference assessment and (b) determine the relative reinforcing efficacy of each type of attention. Results of Experiment 1 showed that most participants preferred conversation or physical interaction. Results of Experiment 2 validated the results of Experiment 1 showing preferred types of attention were more likely to function as reinforcers. Finally, although some types of attention functioned as reinforcers, results of Experiment 3 indicated these reinforcers only maintained responding under relatively dense schedules of reinforcement. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Early Childhood Attention Battery: Italian adaptation and new expanded normative data

BackgroundThe Early Childhood Attention Battery (ECAB) has been used to assess three different components of attention in preschool children, namely, selective, sustained and attentional control. AimThe aim of the study was: I) to adapt the ECAB to the Italian language; II) to collect Italian reference data using the translated version and III) to expand the available reference data using 6-month age intervals. Study designThe adaptation of the ECAB to Italian language and the collection of Italian reference data was performed in four phases: translation and identification of the manual and subtests that needed adaptation; interobserver reliability and feasibility of the Italian version; application of the Italian ECAB; statistical analysis. SubjectsThe ECAB was performed on a low risk population between 3 and 5 years, 11 months. ResultsStatistical analysis was conducted subdividing the cohort in 6-month age groups. The final cohort included 300 low-risk typically developing children. The assessment was well accepted and enjoyed by most of the children except for some in the youngest group who refused to complete all of the tests. Our data showed a progressive improvement in attention across age in seven of the eight subtests of the ECAB. ConclusionThe ECAB is a feasible battery in Italian as in the English version, for the assessment of early attention in preschool children, allowing the assessment of the different components of attention and a specific maturation follow up with increasing age.

Evaluating Preschool Visual Attentional Selective-Set: Preliminary ERP Modeling and Simulation of Target Enhancement Homology.

We reanalyzed, modeled and simulated Event-Related Potential (ERP) data from 13 healthy children (Mean age = 5.12, Standard Deviation = 0.75) during a computerized visual sustained target detection task. Extending an ERP-based ACT–R (Adaptive Control of Thought–Rational) neurocognitive modeling approach, we tested whether visual sustained selective-set attention in preschool children involves the enhancement of neural response to targets, and it shows key adult-like features (neurofunctional homology). Blinded automatic peaks analysis was conducted on vincentized binned grand ERP averages. Time-course and distribution of scalp activity were detailed through topographic mapping and paths analysis. Reaction times and accuracy were also measured. Adult Magnetic Resonance Imaging-based mapping using ACT–R dipole source modeling and electric-field spiking simulation provided very good fit with the actual ERP data (R2 > 0.70). In most electrodes, between 50 and 400 ms, ERPs concurrent with target presentation were enhanced relative to distractor, without manual response confounds. Triangulation of peak analysis, ACT–R modeling and simulation for the entire ERP epochs up to the moment of manual response (~700 ms, on average) suggested converging evidence of distinct but interacting processes of enhancement and planning for response release/inhibition, respectively. The latter involved functions and structures consistent with adult ERP activity which might correspond to a large-scale network, implicating Dorsal and Ventral Attentional Networks, corticostriatal loops, and subcortical hubs connected to prefrontal cortex top-down working memory executive control. Although preliminary, the present approach suggests novel directions for further tests and falsifiable hypotheses on the origins and development of visual selective attention and their ERP correlates.

Screen-exposure and altered brain activation related to attention in preschool children: An EEG study

Exposure to screens has been shown to reduce attention span in children. Increased slow-wave (theta band) and decreased fast-wave (beta and gamma bands) generated from EEG, as well as increased theta/beta ratio, have been observed in children with Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD). This study examined the relationship between 6-weeks screen exposure and attention abilities in typically developing preschoolers using EEG during rest. Theta and beta bands were compared, and visual attention and parental reports for attention abilities were controlled. Results suggested that the active control group showed improved visual-attention abilities following the exposure to stories, whereas the screen group did not show improved visual attention. EEG results suggested a higher connectivity in theta vs. beta bands in the screen group, but not in the control group. Results support the negative relationship between screen exposure and attention-related patterns generated from EEG in typically developing preschool children.

Effectiveness of Quinn's Early Educational Program on Attention and Memory of Preschool Children in Isfahan

Background: Early intervention at preschool age can resolve many cognitive and metacognitive problems of children. Accordingly the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Quinn's early educational program, on attention and memory of pre-school children in Isfahan city.&#x0D; Methods: The study design was Randomized controlled trial. The study population included parents of all pre-school children in Isfahan city during school year 2016 - 2017. Thirty persons were selected through convenience sampling and then randomly divided into experimental and control groups (15 in each group). The research tool that was used in this study is Conner’s Neuropsychological Testing 2004. First, the pretest was conducted for both groups; then the experimental group was exposed to eight 90-minute sessions of Quinn's early educational program; but there was no interference for the control group. At the end of the intervention, the posttest was conducted for both groups. The data of the study was analyzed through covariance analysis test.&#x0D; Results: The findings showed that Quinn's early educational program has impacts on the attention and memory of pre-school children (P-value &lt; 0.0005). The average of children's memory and attention were 18.7 ± 7.12 and 11.73 ± 5.68 in order to 11.45 ± 11.4 and 4.93 ± 2.45, respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: Given the impact of Quinn's program on the memory and attention of pre-school children, this training can be used to improve the attention and memory of preschool children.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Quinn's Early Educational Program, Attention, Memory, Preschool

Altered Neurophysiological Processing of Auditory Attention in Preschool Children With Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic red blood cell disorder that often leads to stroke and executive dysfunction in school-age children and adults. This study aimed to characterize the development of the neural correlates of selective attention, an early component of executive function, in preschool children with SCD. Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while children attended to a story stream in one ear and ignored a second story in the other ear interchangeably. In total, 12 patients (mean age = 5.5, 7 males) and 22 typically developing children (mean age = 4.4, 10 males) were included in the final analyses. By 100 ms, more positive ERP amplitudes were observed for attended relative to unattended stimuli in typically developing children but not those with SCD, suggesting deficits in the ability to focus attention. Reduced attention effects were associated with lower performance intellectual quotient. There are deficits in early attention modulation in young children with SCD.

Neuroplasticity of selective attention: Research foundations and preliminary evidence for a gene by intervention interaction

This article reviews the trajectory of our research program on selective attention, which has moved from basic research on the neural processes underlying selective attention to translational studies using selective attention as a neurobiological target for evidence-based interventions. We use this background to present a promising preliminary investigation of how genetic and experiential factors interact during development (i.e., gene × intervention interactions). Our findings provide evidence on how exposure to a family-based training can modify the associations between genotype (5-HTTLPR) and the neural mechanisms of selective attention in preschool children from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds.

Naps Enhance Executive Attention in Preschool-Aged Children.

Executive attention is impaired following sleep loss in school-aged children, adolescents, and adults. Whether naps improve attention relative to nap deprivation in preschool-aged children is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare executive attention in preschool children following a nap and an interval of wake. Sixty-nine children, 35-70 months of age, completed a Flanker task to assess executive attention following a nap and an equivalent interval of wake. Overall, accuracy was greater after the nap compared with the wake interval. Reaction time(s) did not differ between the nap and wake intervals. Results did not differ between children who napped consistently and those who napped inconsistently, suggesting that naps benefit executive attention of preschoolers regardless of nap habituality. These results indicate that naps enhance attention in preschool children. As executive attention supports executive functioning and learning, nap promotion may improve early education outcomes.

Visual attention of preschool children with different preferences on animation characters using eye-tracking methodology

Visual attention of preschool children with different preferences on animation characters using eye-tracking methodology

Comparing electronic and paper storybooks for preschoolers: Attention, engagement, and recall

Preschool children's attention, engagement, and communication during readings from comparable electronic and paper storybooks, and their recall of story content were assessed. Seventy-nine preschoolers listened to one story on a tablet and another in paper format. The e-book contained multimedia and interactive features that activated story-related information. Dependent measures were attention to the book, the adult, and off-task; engagement and communication; recall of story content. Language and executive functioning were assessed. Results showed that (1) the e-book took twice as long to complete, (2) children were more attentive to, and engaged in the e-book, (3) children communicated more about the device during the e-book but more about the story during the paper book, (4) there was no difference in recall by format, (5) executive functioning was a stronger predictor of attention and story recall than was age. Results were discussed in relation to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning.

Sleep–Wake Cycle, Daytime Sleepiness, and Attention Components in Children Attending Preschool in the Morning and Afternoon Shifts

ABSTRACTChildren tend to sleep and wake up early and to exhibit daytime sleep episodes. To evaluate the impact of school start times on sleepiness and attention in preschool children, this study compared the temporal patterns of sleep, daytime sleepiness, and the components of attention between children aged 4–6 years that study in the morning (n = 66) and the afternoon (n = 144) shifts. The former get up 1 hr and 30 min earlier on weekdays and show lower efficiency on the sustained attention task than those who study in the afternoon. Thus, the morning shift was associated with a reduction in nighttime sleep, which might have a negative effect on children's performance in the morning, causing higher levels of daytime sleepiness and a decline in sustained attention. Because only one parameter of one component of attention was negatively affected, further studies are needed to confirm this effect on cognition.

Prenatal supplementation with DHA improves attention at 5 y of age: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) is an important constituent of the brain. Evidence from well-designed intervention trials of the long-term benefits of increasing DHA intake during pregnancy has been sparse.Objective: We evaluated global cognition, behavior, and attention at age 5 y in the offspring of Mexican women who participated in a randomized controlled trial of prenatal DHA supplementation.Design: A total of 1094 women were randomly assigned to receive 400 mg of either DHA or placebo/d from 18 to 22 wk of pregnancy until delivery. We assessed cognitive development and behavioral and executive functioning, including attention, in 797 offspring at age 5 y (82% of 973 live births) with the use of the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities (MSCA), the parental scale of the Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2), and the Conners’ Kiddie Continuous Performance Test (K-CPT). We compared the groups on raw scores, T-scores, and standardized scores, as appropriate. We examined heterogeneity by the quality of the home environment, maternal intelligence, and socioeconomic status.Results: There were no group differences for MSCA scores (P > 0.05), but the positive effect of the home environment at 12 mo on general cognitive abilities was attenuated in the DHA group compared with in the placebo group (P-interaction < 0.05). There were no differences between groups on the BASC-2. On the K-CPT, offspring in the DHA group showed improved mean ± SD T-scores compared with those of the placebo group for omissions (DHA: 47.6 ± 10.3; placebo: 49.6 ± 11.2; P < 0.01) with no differences (P > 0.05) for the other K-CPT scores or of the proportion who were clinically at risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to DHA may contribute to improved sustained attention in preschool children. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00646360.

Monster Mischief

Selective sustained attention, or the ability to allocate perceptual and mental resources to a single object or event, is an important cognitive ability widely assumed to be required for learning. Assessing young children's selective sustained attention is challenging due to the limited number of sensitive and developmentally appropriate performance-based measures. Furthermore, administration of existing assessments is difficult, as children's engagement with such tasks wanes quickly. One potential solution is to provide assessments within an engaging environment, such as a video game. This paper reports the design and psychometric validation of a video game (Monster Mischief) designed to assess selective sustained attention in preschool children. In a randomized controlled trial, the authors demonstrate that Monster Mischief is significantly correlated with an existing measure of selective sustained attention (rs = 0.52), and more motivating for young children as almost 3 times more children preferred Monster Mischief to the existing measure.

Joint Attention in Preschool Children: Is it a Meaningful Measure?

The goal of this study was to evaluate the degree to which measuring joint attention an aspect of social attention, is meaningful for the learning and development of preschool children. Joint attention refers to the executive capacity to coordinate visual attention with another person. This pivotal skill begins to develop from 6 to 18 months of age and continues to be refined and coordinated throughout individual developmental trajectories. In this study joint attention was measured in forty-three 4 to 5-year-olds asked to coordinate their attention with that of an unfamiliar adult during a social attention word learning task. The results revealed that there were individual differences in joint attention for children in this age group which suggests that this may be a meaningful construct to measure. These data contribute to a small but growing literature on the potential utility of joint attention theory and measurement in preschool aged children to further our understanding of social attention coordination in classroom contexts.

Effectiveness of Psycho - Educational Intervention on the Rate of Attention of Preschool Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

The aim of this research was to investigating the effectiveness of psycho-educational interventions on the Rate of attention of preschool children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Statistical population included all Preschool boys with ADHD in Isfahan city, Iran during 2011-2012. The sample of this research was 30 children with ADHD Symptoms. To select this sample, multi-stage random sampling was employed. Then these 30 pre-schoolers were randomly assigned in two groups, (15 children in the experimental group and 15 children in the control group). Research method was experimental with pre and post test design. Research tool, was parent’s Conner’s questionnaire and clinical interview. Psycho-educational interventions as independent variable was performed on experimental group. Data was analyzed by analysis of Covariance. The results showed that the Psycho - Educational interventions is effective on the rate of attention of preschool children with ADHD (p &lt; 0/001). Therefore, psycho-educational intervention is one of appropriate approach for improvement of attention in children with ADHD.

Family-based training program improves brain function, cognition, and behavior in lower socioeconomic status preschoolers

Using information from research on the neuroplasticity of selective attention and on the central role of successful parenting in child development, we developed and rigorously assessed a family-based training program designed to improve brain systems for selective attention in preschool children. One hundred forty-one lower socioeconomic status preschoolers enrolled in a Head Start program were randomly assigned to the training program, Head Start alone, or an active control group. Electrophysiological measures of children's brain functions supporting selective attention, standardized measures of cognition, and parent-reported child behaviors all favored children in the treatment program relative to both control groups. Positive changes were also observed in the parents themselves. Effect sizes ranged from one-quarter to half of a standard deviation. These results lend impetus to the further development and broader implementation of evidence-based education programs that target at-risk families.