Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme

Introduction Childhood inattention has been linked with poor academic outcomes, and increased lifetime social, occupational and psychiatric morbidity. Children with an acquired brain injury (ABI) are particularly susceptible to attention deficits and may benefit from interventions aimed at enhancing...

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Main Authors: Vicki Anderson, Erin McKay, Sally Richmond, Hannah Kirk, Cathy Catroppa, Kim Cornish
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e032619.full
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author Vicki Anderson
Erin McKay
Sally Richmond
Hannah Kirk
Cathy Catroppa
Kim Cornish
author_facet Vicki Anderson
Erin McKay
Sally Richmond
Hannah Kirk
Cathy Catroppa
Kim Cornish
author_sort Vicki Anderson
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Childhood inattention has been linked with poor academic outcomes, and increased lifetime social, occupational and psychiatric morbidity. Children with an acquired brain injury (ABI) are particularly susceptible to attention deficits and may benefit from interventions aimed at enhancing attention. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the short-term efficacy of the TALI Train programme, compared with a placebo, on the outcome of attention in children with ABI.Methods and analysis The study is a parallel, double-blind, randomised controlled trial. Participants will consist of 80 children with a diagnosis of ABI aged 4–9 years 11 months. Participants will be randomly allocated to either (1) TALI Train (intervention group), an adaptive game-based attention training programme, or (2) a non-adaptive placebo programme (control group). Both programmes are delivered on a touchscreen tablet, and children complete five 20 min sessions per week for a 5-week period at home. Assessment of selective, sustained and executive attention (primary outcomes), and behavioural attention, working memory, social skills and mathematics ability (secondary outcomes) will occur at baseline, post-training, and at 3-month and 6-month follow-up to assess immediate and long-term efficacy of TALI Train compared with placebo. Assessments will be completed at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. All assessments and analyses will be undertaken by researchers blinded to group membership. Latent growth curve modelling will be employed to examine primary and secondary outcomes.Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been obtained from the Royal Children’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) (38132) and the Monash University HREC (17446). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, media outlets, the internet and various community/stakeholder activities.Trial registration number ACTRN12619000511134.
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spelling doaj-art-6e2102a50e1c4886999d7a2726d0ab012024-12-01T16:30:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-12-0191210.1136/bmjopen-2019-032619Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programmeVicki Anderson0Erin McKay1Sally Richmond2Hannah Kirk3Cathy Catroppa4Kim Cornish58 Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia1 Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia1 Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, AustraliaTurner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia2 Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaTurner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, AustraliaIntroduction Childhood inattention has been linked with poor academic outcomes, and increased lifetime social, occupational and psychiatric morbidity. Children with an acquired brain injury (ABI) are particularly susceptible to attention deficits and may benefit from interventions aimed at enhancing attention. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the short-term efficacy of the TALI Train programme, compared with a placebo, on the outcome of attention in children with ABI.Methods and analysis The study is a parallel, double-blind, randomised controlled trial. Participants will consist of 80 children with a diagnosis of ABI aged 4–9 years 11 months. Participants will be randomly allocated to either (1) TALI Train (intervention group), an adaptive game-based attention training programme, or (2) a non-adaptive placebo programme (control group). Both programmes are delivered on a touchscreen tablet, and children complete five 20 min sessions per week for a 5-week period at home. Assessment of selective, sustained and executive attention (primary outcomes), and behavioural attention, working memory, social skills and mathematics ability (secondary outcomes) will occur at baseline, post-training, and at 3-month and 6-month follow-up to assess immediate and long-term efficacy of TALI Train compared with placebo. Assessments will be completed at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. All assessments and analyses will be undertaken by researchers blinded to group membership. Latent growth curve modelling will be employed to examine primary and secondary outcomes.Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been obtained from the Royal Children’s Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) (38132) and the Monash University HREC (17446). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, media outlets, the internet and various community/stakeholder activities.Trial registration number ACTRN12619000511134.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e032619.full
spellingShingle Vicki Anderson
Erin McKay
Sally Richmond
Hannah Kirk
Cathy Catroppa
Kim Cornish
Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme
BMJ Open
title Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme
title_full Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme
title_fullStr Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme
title_full_unstemmed Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme
title_short Training attention in children with acquired brain injury: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the TALI attention training programme
title_sort training attention in children with acquired brain injury a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the tali attention training programme
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e032619.full
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