Motor Attention Training for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

May 29, 2025 updated by: University of Wisconsin, Madison

A Feasibility/Pilot Trial of a Motor Attention Training Intervention for College Students With ADHD

The investigators will perform a feasibility/pilot trial of two non-pharmacological interventions for ADHD in college students.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

College students diagnosed with ADHD will be randomized to three arms of approximately 8 weeks duration: (1) standard care plus a tai chi class, (2) standard care plus an exercise class, and (3) standard care alone. The exercise class will control for the social and motor components of tai chi training. The investigators will determine methodological parameters relevant to a subsequent full scale trial including recruitment and retention rates, acceptance of randomization, adherence to the interventions, and variance in outcome measures. The primary clinical outcome measure of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be pre- to post-intervention change in inattention, i.e. the Inattentive Symptoms subscale of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale self-report long form (CAARS-S:L, see Interviews etc. "Converse_S_L"). Secondary measures to be explored will include self- and informant-report, neurocognitive measures, psychophysiological measures, and academic performance. Practice time will be assessed daily and follow-up self-report of ADHD symptoms will be gathered monthly for 3 months beyond the end of the intervention.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

145

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

  • Name: Alexander K Converse, PhD
  • Phone Number: 608 265 6604
  • Email: adhd@bi.wisc.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53705
        • Recruiting
        • University of Wisconsin-Madison, Waisman Center
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 23 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison enrolled undergraduate
  • Documented ADHD diagnosis

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unable or unwilling to participate in the interventions

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Tai Chi
Participants in this arm will attend 50-minute classes 2 times per week for 8 weeks. The course will emphasize experiential learning with 2 weeks of introductory sessions on gait, posture, and tai chi principles followed by instruction in the 24-form Yang style sequence. Students will be given a video to aid learning outside of class, and maintenance of practice post-intervention.
Behavioral: Tai Chi
Active Comparator: Exercise
Participants in the exercise arm will attend 50-minute classes 2 times per week for 8 weeks. The course will emphasize cardio-aerobic fitness training. Students will be given a video to aid practice outside of class, and maintenance of practice post-intervention.
Behavioral: Exercise
No Intervention: Control
Participants in the control arm will not attend a class and not be given a video.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in symptoms of inattention
Time Frame: 8 weeks
Inattentive Symptoms subscale of the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scale self-report long form (CAARS-S:L). The total range of scores is 0-27 with higher scores indicating more severe symptom levels.
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Feasibility of implementing wireless Electroencephalogram(EEG) to measure the theta beta ratio during performance of tai chi.
Time Frame: up to 90 minute
Feasibility of implementing wireless EEG will be assessed by the quality of EEG data. Acceptable data should have satisfactory signal to noise characteristics. Satisfactory signal to noise ratio will be evaluated by the variance within individual across trials of the ratio of occipital alpha power between the eyes closed and eyes open conditions. Feasibility will be judged by the criterion that the coefficient of variance (CV = s.d./mean) be less than 1/3.
up to 90 minute

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Alexander K Converse, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

February 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 18, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 22, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

February 23, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 4, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 29, 2025

Last Verified

May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2015-0807
  • A348700 (Other Identifier: UW Madison)
  • VCRGE\WAISMAN CENTER\WAISMAN (Other Identifier: UW Madison)
  • Protocol version 15 July 2024 (Other Identifier: IRB UW, Madison)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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