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Volume 26, Issue 3 (Autumn 2024)
Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2024, 26(3): 14-27 |
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Ethics code: IR.IAU.SRB.REC.1402.050
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Ghadamgahi Sani S N, Suri A. Investigating the effect of forbrain stimulation on auditory attention in hyperactive children aged 6-11 years. Advances in Cognitive Sciences 2024; 26 (3) :14-27
URL: http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-1640-en.html
URL: http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-1640-en.html
1- Master's Degree in Psychology, General Orientation, Islamic Azad University, Roudehen Branch, Roudehen, Iran
2- Associate Professor of Psychology Department, Amin Police University, Tehran, Iran
2- Associate Professor of Psychology Department, Amin Police University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (911 Views)
Introduction
Attention-Deficitdeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects cognitive skills, such as working memory and attention, as well as emotional self-control. In the United States, the prevalence of ADHD is around 7%, while internationally it ranges from 2% to 29%. A study conducted in Tehran, Iran, found that ADHD affects 3% to 6% of 7-12-year-old students. Boys are three times more likely to have ADHD than girls. Additionally, 30% to 85% of adults who had ADHD as children continue to experience symptoms in adulthood. Genetic factors account for over 80% of the causes of ADHD, with other factors including biology, environment, psycho-social factors, psychology, neurochemistry, and nutrition. Neurologically, dysfunction in the frontal lobe-basal nuclei and dopamine pathways can lead to difficulties in attention control and behavior inhibition. The Forbrain device is designed to assist individuals with ADHD using a microphone and bone conductors to enhance their speech sounds through bone conduction. It filters and manipulates the intensity of high frequencies. The device has two types of settings that adjust based on the user's voice energy at a frequency of 1 kHz. Given the importance of auditory attention in children with ADHD and the need for new methods to manage and treat the disorder, this research aims to explore the effectiveness of the Forbrain method in improving auditory attention in children aged 6-11 with ADHD. The goal is to prevent academic failure during the early years of learning and provide complementary treatments for this condition.
Methods
This research has a specific purpose and uses a quasi-experimental method with a pre-test and post-test design, including a control group. This study focuses on the treatment of Forbrain stimulation and includes two groups. The first group received ten sessions of Forbrain stimulation, each session lasting 20 minutes, three times a week. The second group participates as a control. The research population consists of children aged 6 to 11 with hyperactivity who were referred to Tavanesh Treatment Center in 2022. A minimum of 15 people per group is required to ensure a sufficient sample size. Therefore, 20 people were selected for each group, considering the possibility of dropping out or non-participation. A psychiatrist diagnosed these people with hyperactivity and met the inclusion criteria.
In order to collect information related to literature and research background, the library method was used to review books, articles, and related sources. In collaboration with the Tavanesh Treatment Center, the researcher collected information about the sample. They provided explanations about the specialized and ethical aspects of the research. After obtaining consent from the child's parents and completing the child's information form, the 48-question Connors questionnaire was filled out by the parents. Additionally, the IVA-2 test was used to gather further information. Two groups underwent tests both before and after treatment, while the control group was tested in two phases without receiving any treatment. Children were initially referred to the Tavanesh Center by psychiatrists.In the first session of the pre-test, a clinical interview was conducted with the simultaneous presence of the child and parents and confirmation of the diagnosis, medication status and essentialexplanations, and the absence of epilepsy, tumors, metal implants, heart batteries, and other mental disorders and after announcing the readiness of the family and the child. The children were required to perform the IVA-2 test in a separate environment, then implement the therapeutic interventions, with the help of the family, and determine a specific schedule regarding the day and time of the sessions that the children would visit. After completing ten intervention sessions in two experimental groups, the first post-test session was held exactly like the pre-test session.
Data analysis included descriptive and inferential parts. The descriptive section presented the mean, standard deviation, age, and education level. In the inferential part, covariance analysis was performed using SPSS-26 statistical software. The significance level for all tests was set at 0.05.
Results
This study involved 40 children diagnosed with ADHD, selected based on their age, education level, gender, and type of hyperactivity. Among the participants, the age distribution was as follows: 20% were six years old, 15% were seven years old, 20% were eight years old, 15% were nine years old, 20% were ten years old, and 10% were 11 years old. The gender breakdown included 55% male and 45% female participants. Additionally, half of the children were diagnosed with attention deficit, while the other half had both hyperactivity and attention deficit.The average pre-test and post-test auditory attention for the Forbrain group is 90.90 and 99.40, and for the control group is 63.20 and 68.65. Auditory attention scores increased in Forbrain intervention after the study. However, this increase was much higher in the Forbrain intervention group, indicating the effectiveness of the Forbrain intervention on the auditory attention of the samples. The univariate covariance analysis testshowed that the average scores of the listening attention post-test for the Forbrain group (99.40) were significantly higher than the control group (68.65). This shows that Forbrain intervention effectively affects the auditory attention variable in the samples.
The results of the present study showed that after controlling the pre-test scores, the group’s effect on the post-test scores of listening attention is also significant. Regarding the effectiveness of the Forbrain method, after controlling the pre-test scores, the group’s effect on the post-test scores of listening attention is also significant, and this method has been effective.
Therefore, this method seems to affect the auditory attention of children suffering from ADHD disorder and can be considered suitable,considering the clinical conditions of the patient and available facilities. In addition, the time and cost required for this method should be considered so that the best method can be suggested to therapists and patients.
Conclusion
The findings of this study have essential implications for the treatment of children with ADHD. The Forbrain method provides a new approach that targets the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for auditory attention deficits in ADHD. By strengthening the neural circuits involved in auditory processing, this technique can potentially improve attentional abilities and reduce the negative impact of ADHD symptoms on the child's daily functioning. The Forbrain method is a unique auditory feedback system that uses bone conduction to enhance the user's perception of sound. It is specifically designed to improve speaking, language, and communication skills and has been used to help people with various learning difficulties. The results of this study show that even after controlling the pre-test scores, the group that used transcranial electrical stimulation and the control group showed a significant difference in the average auditory attention scores in the post-test phase. This shows that the Forbrain method is effective in improving listening attention. By targeting auditory attention deficits and improving listening abilities, this technique can contribute to better daily functioning and overall well-being in children with ADHD. Both methods can have the same effect on the auditory attention of hyperactive children. Therefore, when choosing the proper method, it is necessary to pay attention to the clinical conditions of the patient and the available facilities.
Ethical Considerations
The research plan was approved by the Ethics Committee of Oloum Tahghighat University (Approval number: IR.IAU.REC.1402.050). Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Data were recorded using coded checklists to maintain confidentiality. Participation in the intervention was voluntary for the children with ADHD, and participants were free to withdraw from the research at any time.
This article is an original research, and the implementation of this project does not contradict the beliefs and traditions of the society. In reviewing sources and using articles mentioned in the list of sources, honesty and reliability were observed, and suspicious and unreliable sources were not used. The most appropriate research methods and the latest possible techniques were used.
Compliance with ethical principles is one of the main requirements of any research. Especially when the intervention or training is done, the following ethical principles in the current research are:
- Compliance with the company's consent in the research and completion of the consent form by individuals (the form includes the experimental and research work and the purpose and treatment without payment to the individual and contact number).
- Preservation of people's information (information used only for research purposes)
- Commitment to hold similar meetings for the control group after conducting the research.
- Evaluation of profit and loss and research budget and possible report required.
- Payment of compensation in case of subjects re-entering the clinical trial.
- All clinical work information is recorded and stored in the image so that it is possible to interpret them accurately.
- Statements that, for whatever reason, the clinical trial was premature, the investigator should follow up with the individual on appropriate treatment.
Authors' contributions
All the authors have participated equally in the design of the study, execution, and writing of the report and its article, as well as in the stages of editing and corrections.
Funding
This article is taken from the master's degree thesis in the field of general psychology at Islamic Azad University, Roudehen Branch Department. This thesis was done with the financial support of this university.
Acknowledgments
The authors hereby consider it necessary to thank the presence of the patients and their families, as well as the efforts of all the people who guided us in this research.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
Attention-Deficitdeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects cognitive skills, such as working memory and attention, as well as emotional self-control. In the United States, the prevalence of ADHD is around 7%, while internationally it ranges from 2% to 29%. A study conducted in Tehran, Iran, found that ADHD affects 3% to 6% of 7-12-year-old students. Boys are three times more likely to have ADHD than girls. Additionally, 30% to 85% of adults who had ADHD as children continue to experience symptoms in adulthood. Genetic factors account for over 80% of the causes of ADHD, with other factors including biology, environment, psycho-social factors, psychology, neurochemistry, and nutrition. Neurologically, dysfunction in the frontal lobe-basal nuclei and dopamine pathways can lead to difficulties in attention control and behavior inhibition. The Forbrain device is designed to assist individuals with ADHD using a microphone and bone conductors to enhance their speech sounds through bone conduction. It filters and manipulates the intensity of high frequencies. The device has two types of settings that adjust based on the user's voice energy at a frequency of 1 kHz. Given the importance of auditory attention in children with ADHD and the need for new methods to manage and treat the disorder, this research aims to explore the effectiveness of the Forbrain method in improving auditory attention in children aged 6-11 with ADHD. The goal is to prevent academic failure during the early years of learning and provide complementary treatments for this condition.
Methods
This research has a specific purpose and uses a quasi-experimental method with a pre-test and post-test design, including a control group. This study focuses on the treatment of Forbrain stimulation and includes two groups. The first group received ten sessions of Forbrain stimulation, each session lasting 20 minutes, three times a week. The second group participates as a control. The research population consists of children aged 6 to 11 with hyperactivity who were referred to Tavanesh Treatment Center in 2022. A minimum of 15 people per group is required to ensure a sufficient sample size. Therefore, 20 people were selected for each group, considering the possibility of dropping out or non-participation. A psychiatrist diagnosed these people with hyperactivity and met the inclusion criteria.
In order to collect information related to literature and research background, the library method was used to review books, articles, and related sources. In collaboration with the Tavanesh Treatment Center, the researcher collected information about the sample. They provided explanations about the specialized and ethical aspects of the research. After obtaining consent from the child's parents and completing the child's information form, the 48-question Connors questionnaire was filled out by the parents. Additionally, the IVA-2 test was used to gather further information. Two groups underwent tests both before and after treatment, while the control group was tested in two phases without receiving any treatment. Children were initially referred to the Tavanesh Center by psychiatrists.In the first session of the pre-test, a clinical interview was conducted with the simultaneous presence of the child and parents and confirmation of the diagnosis, medication status and essentialexplanations, and the absence of epilepsy, tumors, metal implants, heart batteries, and other mental disorders and after announcing the readiness of the family and the child. The children were required to perform the IVA-2 test in a separate environment, then implement the therapeutic interventions, with the help of the family, and determine a specific schedule regarding the day and time of the sessions that the children would visit. After completing ten intervention sessions in two experimental groups, the first post-test session was held exactly like the pre-test session.
Data analysis included descriptive and inferential parts. The descriptive section presented the mean, standard deviation, age, and education level. In the inferential part, covariance analysis was performed using SPSS-26 statistical software. The significance level for all tests was set at 0.05.
Results
This study involved 40 children diagnosed with ADHD, selected based on their age, education level, gender, and type of hyperactivity. Among the participants, the age distribution was as follows: 20% were six years old, 15% were seven years old, 20% were eight years old, 15% were nine years old, 20% were ten years old, and 10% were 11 years old. The gender breakdown included 55% male and 45% female participants. Additionally, half of the children were diagnosed with attention deficit, while the other half had both hyperactivity and attention deficit.The average pre-test and post-test auditory attention for the Forbrain group is 90.90 and 99.40, and for the control group is 63.20 and 68.65. Auditory attention scores increased in Forbrain intervention after the study. However, this increase was much higher in the Forbrain intervention group, indicating the effectiveness of the Forbrain intervention on the auditory attention of the samples. The univariate covariance analysis testshowed that the average scores of the listening attention post-test for the Forbrain group (99.40) were significantly higher than the control group (68.65). This shows that Forbrain intervention effectively affects the auditory attention variable in the samples.
The results of the present study showed that after controlling the pre-test scores, the group’s effect on the post-test scores of listening attention is also significant. Regarding the effectiveness of the Forbrain method, after controlling the pre-test scores, the group’s effect on the post-test scores of listening attention is also significant, and this method has been effective.
Therefore, this method seems to affect the auditory attention of children suffering from ADHD disorder and can be considered suitable,considering the clinical conditions of the patient and available facilities. In addition, the time and cost required for this method should be considered so that the best method can be suggested to therapists and patients.
Conclusion
The findings of this study have essential implications for the treatment of children with ADHD. The Forbrain method provides a new approach that targets the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for auditory attention deficits in ADHD. By strengthening the neural circuits involved in auditory processing, this technique can potentially improve attentional abilities and reduce the negative impact of ADHD symptoms on the child's daily functioning. The Forbrain method is a unique auditory feedback system that uses bone conduction to enhance the user's perception of sound. It is specifically designed to improve speaking, language, and communication skills and has been used to help people with various learning difficulties. The results of this study show that even after controlling the pre-test scores, the group that used transcranial electrical stimulation and the control group showed a significant difference in the average auditory attention scores in the post-test phase. This shows that the Forbrain method is effective in improving listening attention. By targeting auditory attention deficits and improving listening abilities, this technique can contribute to better daily functioning and overall well-being in children with ADHD. Both methods can have the same effect on the auditory attention of hyperactive children. Therefore, when choosing the proper method, it is necessary to pay attention to the clinical conditions of the patient and the available facilities.
Ethical Considerations
The research plan was approved by the Ethics Committee of Oloum Tahghighat University (Approval number: IR.IAU.REC.1402.050). Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Data were recorded using coded checklists to maintain confidentiality. Participation in the intervention was voluntary for the children with ADHD, and participants were free to withdraw from the research at any time.
This article is an original research, and the implementation of this project does not contradict the beliefs and traditions of the society. In reviewing sources and using articles mentioned in the list of sources, honesty and reliability were observed, and suspicious and unreliable sources were not used. The most appropriate research methods and the latest possible techniques were used.
Compliance with ethical principles is one of the main requirements of any research. Especially when the intervention or training is done, the following ethical principles in the current research are:
- Compliance with the company's consent in the research and completion of the consent form by individuals (the form includes the experimental and research work and the purpose and treatment without payment to the individual and contact number).
- Preservation of people's information (information used only for research purposes)
- Commitment to hold similar meetings for the control group after conducting the research.
- Evaluation of profit and loss and research budget and possible report required.
- Payment of compensation in case of subjects re-entering the clinical trial.
- All clinical work information is recorded and stored in the image so that it is possible to interpret them accurately.
- Statements that, for whatever reason, the clinical trial was premature, the investigator should follow up with the individual on appropriate treatment.
Authors' contributions
All the authors have participated equally in the design of the study, execution, and writing of the report and its article, as well as in the stages of editing and corrections.
Funding
This article is taken from the master's degree thesis in the field of general psychology at Islamic Azad University, Roudehen Branch Department. This thesis was done with the financial support of this university.
Acknowledgments
The authors hereby consider it necessary to thank the presence of the patients and their families, as well as the efforts of all the people who guided us in this research.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
Type of Study: Research |
Received: 2023/11/26 | Accepted: 2024/11/12 | Published: 2025/01/16
Received: 2023/11/26 | Accepted: 2024/11/12 | Published: 2025/01/16
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