http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6393-4084
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Abstract
Background: The purpose of this trial was to examine the feasibility and efficacy of computerized cognitive exercises from Scientific Brain Training (SBT), compared to the computer game Tetris as an active placebo, in a pilot study of adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Method: Eighteen adolescents with ADHD were randomized to treatment or control intervention for 7 weeks. Outcome measures were cognitive test, symptom, and motivation questionnaires.
Results: SBT and Tetris were feasible as home-based interventions, and participants’ compliance was high, but participants perceived both interventions as not very interesting or helpful. There were no significant group differences on cognitive and ADHD-symptom measures after intervention. Pre–post intra-group measurement showed that the SBT had a significant beneficial effect on sustained attention, while the active placebo had significant beneficial effects on working memory, both with large effect sizes.
Conclusion: Although no significant differences were found between groups on any measure, there were significant intra-group changes for each group.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the participant families for their efforts and the founding organization, Psychiatry Research Foundation Region of Southern Denmark, for providing financial support. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02728011, date of registry 24 March 2016.
Disclosure statement
Torben Østergaard Christensen holds the license for the Danish version of Scientific Brain Training (SBT), now referred to as Happy Neuron Pro. The other authors report no conflicts of interest.