Pilot Study of an Attention and Executive Function Cognitive Intervention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Pilot Study of an Attention and Executive Function Cognitive Intervention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Sarah J. Macoun1 · Isabel Schneider1 · Buse Bedir1 · John Sheehan1 · Andrew Sung2
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract This pilot study investigated the efficacy of a game-based cognitive training program (Caribbean Quest; CQ) for improving attention and executive function (EF) in school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). CQ is a ‘serious game’ that uses a hybrid process-specific/compensatory approach to remediate attention and EF abilities through repetitive, hierarchically graded exercises delivered in an adaptive format. Game-play is accompanied by instruction in metacognitive strategies delivered by an adult trainer. Twenty children diagnosed with ASD (ages 6–12 years) completed 12 h of intervention in schools over 8–10 weeks that was facilitated by a trained Research Assistant. Pre-post testing indicated near transfer gains for visual working memory and selective attention and far transfer effects for math fluency. Exit interviews with parents and school staff indicated anecdotal gains in attention, EF, emotion-regulation, flexibility, communication, and social skills. Overall, this study provides preliminary support for the feasibility and potential efficacy of the CQ when delivered in schools to children with ASD. Keywords Autism · Attention training · Executive function training · Cognitive intervention · Process specific intervention · Metacognitive strategy teaching
Introduction
This research was conducted at the University of Victoria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04723-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Sarah J. Macoun [email protected] Isabel Schneider [email protected] Buse Bedir [email protected] John Sheehan [email protected] Andrew Sung [email protected] 1
Psychology Department, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
Educational Psychology Department, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
2
The primary diagnostic features of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are distinct social-communication tendencies and unusual, restrictive, and/or repetitive behaviours and interests, yet up to 85% of this population also have difficulties with attention and executive functioning (EF; American Psychiatric Association 2013; Demetriou et al. 2019; Gargaro et al. 2011). These ‘secondary deficits’ may include problems with concentration/focus (Corbett et al. 2009; Noterdaeme et al.2010), orienting attention (Keehn et al. 2010), inhibitory control (Christ et al. 2011), working memory (Garon et al. 2018), switching/flexibility (Demetriou et al. 2019), and/or planning (Robinson et al. 2009), all of which may impact academic, social, and/or behavioural development and functioning (Demetriou et al. 2019; O’Brien and Pearson 2004; Pellicano 2012). More sp
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