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RESEARCH TO PRACTICE Yoga as an Intervention for Children With Attention Problems
Abstract and Figures
Absiract. A multiple baseline design across three grade level groups with a com- parison group was employed to investigate the effectiveness of yoga for improv- ing time on task with 10 elementary school children who evidenced attention prob- lems. A yoga videotape, published by Gaiam. was used that required the children to follow an adult instructor and three children who engaged in deep breathing, physical postures, and relaxation exercises for 30 minutes, twice a week, for a period of 3 weeks. Time on task was defined as the percentage of intervals ob- served that the students were orientating toward the teacher or task, and perform- ing the requested classroom assignments. The results indicated effect sizes that ranged from 1.5 to 2.7 as a function of the intervention. Effect sizes at follow-up decreased, but ranged from .77 to 1.95. Peer comparison data indicated that class- mates' time on task remained essentially unchanged throughout the three phases of the study.
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... Children also described benefits at home (better sleep and less anxiety) and at school (better concentration and less conflict). A classroom-based study by Peck et al. (2005) found yoga to improve time on task of 10 elementary school-age children with attention problems. The psychological and behavioral improvements resulting from yoga have implications for yoga as a school-based intervention. ...
This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of yoga on fine- and gross-motor
performance, classroom behavior, and academic performance of preschool children
with and without disabilities. Children ages 3 to 5 in the intervention classrooms participated
in a 10-minute yoga DVD; children in the control classroom received instruction
as usual. Pre- and posttest measures included work samples, yoga poses, behavior corrections,
and children’s grade reports. Results indicated children participating in yoga
improved more than the control on some fine-motor and academic measures. There
were no significant differences between groups on most measures. Yoga participation
resulted in minimal school-related benefits for children.
... Children also described benefits at home (better sleep and less anxiety) and at school (better concentration and less conflict). A classroom-based study by Peck et al. (2005) found yoga to improve time on task of 10 elementary school-age children with attention problems. The psychological and behavioral improvements resulting from yoga have implications for yoga as a school-based intervention. ...
This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of yoga on fine- and gross-motor performance, classroom behavior, and academic performance of preschool children with and without disabilities. Children ages 3 to 5 in the intervention classrooms participated in a 10-minute yoga DVD; children in the control classroom received instruction as usual. Pre- and posttest measures included work samples, yoga poses, behavior corrections, and children's grade reports. Results indicated children participating in yoga improved more than the control on some fine-motor and academic measures. There were no significant differences between groups on most measures. Yoga participation resulted in minimal school-related benefits for children.
Visual inference can be understood as a classification problem and, consequently, schema theory provides a natural model from which to generate hypothesis concerning how individuals [human] make visual inferences. Against this theoretical background and on the basis of carefully constructed graphic stimuli, it was found that subjects primarily trained in visual inference appeared to use a scaling heuristic in which they attended to large changes between phases in a time series regardless of the relative variation; subjects trained in multivariate statistics did not demonstrate this bias. Implications for visual inference are discussed.
Recent years have seen tremendous advances in understanding and treating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Now in a revised and expanded third edition, this authoritative handbook brings the field up to date with current, practical information on nearly every aspect of the disorder. Drawing on his own and others' ongoing, influential research - and the wisdom gleaned from decades of front-line clinical experience - Russell A. Barkley provides insights and tools for professionals working with children, adolescents, or adults. Part I presents foundational knowledge about the nature and developmental course of ADHD and its neurological, genetic, and environmental underpinnings. The symptoms and subtypes of the disorder are discussed, as are associated cognitive and developmental challenges and psychiatric comorbidities. In Parts II and III, Barkley is joined by other leading experts who offer state-of-the-art guidelines for clinical management. Assessment instruments and procedures are described in detail, with expanded coverage of adult assessment. Treatment chapters then review the full array of available approaches - parent training programs, family-focused intervention for teens, school- and classroom-based approaches, psychological counseling, and pharmacotherapy - integrating findings from hundreds of new studies. The volume also addresses such developments as once-daily sustained delivery systems for stimulant medications and a new medication, atomoxetine. Of special note, a new chapter has been added on combined therapies. Chapters in the third edition now conclude with user-friendly Key Clinical Points. This comprehensive volume is intended for a broad range of professionals, including child and adult clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, school psychologists, and pediatricians. It serves as a scholarly yet accessible text for graduate-level courses. Note: Practitioners wishing to implement the assessment and treatment recommendations in the Handbook are advised to purchase the companion Workbook, which contains a complete set of forms, questionnaires, and handouts, in a large-size format with permission to photocopy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)(jacket)
The routine clinical use of lengthy treatment with psychostimulant medications in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) has raised concerns about its possible long-term adverse effects. In a prospective 21-month open-label outpatient study with high compliance rates (mean 87%), 23 boys with DSM-III-R ADHD were treated with methylphenidate (mean daily dose 23 mg, 0.55 mg/kg) and compared with 23 unmedicated ADHD boys (aged 7 to 12 years at entry). Growth and cardiovascular parameters were measured at the start and finish of the 21 months. The results suggested that extended methylphenidate treatment at doses around 0.5 mg/kg daily did not produce clinically or statistically significant changes in weight, height, heart rate, or diastolic or systolic blood pressure (although transient changes, lasting weeks or months, might have occurred that did not persist in extended treatment). There was a small and statistically insignificant association between total cumulative dosage of methylphenidate and weight at the end of the treatment period, suggesting that high doses over a longer time might lead to reduced weight gain. A small subgroup of the boys in the sample (four medicated and two unmedicated) showed a weight gain of less than 5 kg during the treatment period. Since it remains possible that methylphenidate treatment extended for more than 2 years in such children could lead to clinically significant weight reductions, children with low weight gain on extended stimulant treatments should be closely monitored regarding possible drug discontinuation or dose adjustment.
Two nine member classes for behaviorally disturbed 8 to 11 year old males and females were randomly selected for a treatment or a no‐treatment group. Time spent in off‐task behavior was recorded by two observers via a time sampling technique. One group practiced Benson's meditative‐relaxation technique while the no‐treatment subjects were instructed to relax for the same 20 minute sessions over a five day period. Non‐attending behavior levels were recorded during the treatment period. The t‐test for pretest to post‐test mean change differences of non‐attending behavior for the two groups reflected a significant reduction (p < .001) in the number of non‐attending behaviors for the treatment group.