Computerized cognitive training for severely emotionally disturbed children with ADHD.
Captain’s Log computerized training lifts and generalizes skills in elementary kids with ADHD.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team used Captain’s Log, a game-style computer program, with elementary kids who have ADHD.
They ran a single-case design and tracked how far each child moved through the training levels.
Progress in the games was the key measure: kids who leveled up the most were watched for skill use outside the game.
What they found
Children who advanced the farthest in Captain’s Log showed the biggest gains in real-world skills.
The skills practiced on screen carried over to classroom and home settings.
How this fits with other research
Zheng et al. (2025) later tested short digital memory games in preschoolers with ADHD traits.
They also saw small gains, giving a weaker but similar thumbs-up to computerized training.
de Leeuw et al. (2024) tried an online SMART program in kids with cerebral palsy and saw no benefit.
The null result does not kill the idea; it shows the training works for ADHD brains, not every diagnosis.
Klein et al. (2024) swapped Captain’s Log for eye-tracking games in kids with both ADHD and autism.
Working memory still improved, proving the method can stretch beyond pure ADHD.
Why it matters
You now have a low-cost tool that can sharpen skills and make them stick for kids with ADHD.
Slot Captain’s Log (or similar leveled games) into station time or homework club.
Track each student’s level progress; if they race ahead, watch for the same skills in classwork and praise on the spot.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Start a Captain’s Log station, set each child at baseline level, and chart level jumps as your progress metric.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
An experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of Captain's Log (a computerized cognitive-training system) on the behaviors and performance capabilities of 4 severely emotionally disturbed children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), ages 7 to 11. Behavioral scales, spectral electroencephalograms, and intelligence and performance tests were assessed pre- and posttreatment. A behavioral point system and monitoring of progress on computer tasks were used throughout treatment to evaluate ongoing improvements. There were 64 training sessions administered over a 16-week period. Outcome of treatment was determined by computer advancement, changes in behavioral points, and pre- and postmeasures. Results support the expectation that children who were most successful in the training would demonstrate the highest levels of generalization of those skills that were the focus of treatment.
Behavior modification, 1998 · doi:10.1177/01454455980223012