Program for attention rehabilitation and strengthening (PARS) improves executive functions in children with attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Low-tech daily drills can widen attention and executive skills in kids with ADHD.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Vahid (2021) tested a paper-and-pencil program called PARS.
Kids with ADHD met in small groups for daily attention drills.
The study used a coin-flip style random trial against a no-treatment group.
What they found
After the lessons, kids who got PARS paid attention longer and ignored distractions better.
Gains spread to other skills like remembering rules and stopping impulsive moves.
The control group did not show the same jump.
How this fits with other research
Saleem et al. (2024) saw similar gains with neurofeedback in autism, but they used 30 computer sessions and EEG wires.
Huguenin (2000) also fixed narrow attention with long touchscreen drills in severe ID.
All three studies say the same thing: steady practice, low or high tech, can sharpen focus.
Mascheretti et al. (2018) add a classroom angle. They showed ADHD kids know when they drift, but still lose track of papers and posture. PARS gives them a daily routine to act on that awareness.
Why it matters
You do not need screens or wires to boost executive skills. A paper packet, a timer, and a group table can do it. Try carving out ten minutes each day for quick attention drills. Track who stays on task longer week to week.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Attention is improved through cognitive rehabilitation. The purpose of the present study was the evaluation of the effect of a paper and pencil program for attention rehabilitation and strengthening (PARS) in children with ADHD. Thirty children with ADHD were randomly divided into two equal intervention and control groups. The intervention group received 12-15 sessions of intervention through PARS. Sustained, selective, and shifting attention, inhibitory control, and working memory were assessed by Persian attention registration, Stroop, color trail making, Go/No-Go, and 1- back tests. Analyses indicated that the experimental group, in comparison with the control group, showed improved selective and sustained attention and the training effects transfers to executive functions, inhibitory control and working memory. The result is discussed in the light of transferability of training effects from attention to executive functions.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103937