Measuring distractions in the classroom and while studying
Quantification of Distraction in Academic settings: A Translational Approach
Researchers will use new measurement methods to capture how phone alerts, classroom noise, and wandering thoughts affect attention in teens, including those with ADHD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11383588 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You or your teen would be part of a project that looks at how everyday visual and auditory distractions, plus internal thoughts, interfere with learning. The team will apply three modern measurement approaches and use an RDoC framework to understand attention and distractibility across real-world school and home learning situations. They plan to include both neurotypical adolescents and youth with clinically meaningful distractibility, including ADHD. The goal is to link lab and naturalistic data so measurements better reflect what teens actually experience while learning.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents (for example high-school aged teens) who have trouble sustaining attention in class or while studying, including those with an ADHD diagnosis.
Not a fit: Adults, very young children, or people whose attention issues are unrelated to classroom or digital distractions are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better ways to identify which students struggle with distractibility and guide more targeted supports or interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have used lab tests and wearable or digital measures to capture attention, but combining multiple advanced approaches in real classroom and home learning contexts is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schweitzer, Julie B. — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Schweitzer, Julie B.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.