Evaluation of a School-Based Attention Training Programme for Improving Sustained Attention: A Cluster Randomised Pilot Study

The training was delivered face-to-face in groups of three participants. Participants were involved in a game of table tennis with two players and one spectator. The roles were rotated every 5 minutes so that each participant experienced 10 minutes of play and 5 minutes of observation. The game was played as normal with one point awarded to the player for every score achieved. All 3 players were asked to keep the score of the game in their minds during each 5-minute round. Participants had two objectives 1) to play and win the game and 2) to silently keep the score of the game. The researcher watched the game and accurately kept score, using a notepad. At the end of every 5-minute round, the researcher paused play and asked each child to write down the score they were holding in their mind. The researcher then revealed the true score, asked participants to swap roles and commence another round.

The control group was the same as the training group except for the core training mechanism; children were not required to mentally keep score. The researcher kept score by continually calling out the updated score as each point was won. The observing child was simply told to wait his/her turn.