Comparing the Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Cup Stacking Game on Cognitive Inhibition, Auditory Attention and Visual Attention of Students with Attention Deficit

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two methods of cup stacking game and transcranial electrical stimulation of the brain (tDCS) on cognitive inhibition, auditory attention and visual attention in students with attention deficit syndrome in ۲۰۱۹-۲۰۲۰. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The present study population consists of all fifth and sixth grade elementary students with symptoms of attention deficit in Tehran in ۲۰۱۹-۲۰۲۰. Among the fifth and sixth grade students, ۴۵ students with attention deficit symptoms were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups of ۱۵ people including the brain stimulation group, the cup stacking game group and the control group. The tDCS experimental group was treated for ۱۰ sessions of ۳۰ minutes, and the cup stacking experimental group were exposed to ten ۳۰-minute sessions of cup stacking game. In order to evaluate the research variables, the continuous auditory visual function test (IVA) of Rosvold, Sarason, Bransome, and Beck (۱۹۵۶) was used. The results of mixed analysis of variance showed that cup stacking game and tDCS are both effective in improving cognitive inhibition and auditory attention of students with attention deficit syndrome, but there is no significant difference between the two methods in influencing cognitive inhibition and auditory attention (P> ۰.۰۵). Also, only the cup stacking game had a significant effect on improving visual attention, but tDCS did not have a significant effect on improving visual attention.

Keywords:

Auditory Attention , Cognitive Inhibition , cup stacking , tDCS , visual attention