Measuring distractions that affect students' learning
Quantification of Distraction in Academic settings: A Translational Approach
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · NIH-11194488
This project will use new measurement tools to track what distracts adolescents, including students with ADHD, in classroom and home learning situations.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (DAVIS, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11194488 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This research combines lab and real-world measurements to capture how visual, auditory, and internal distractions affect students while they learn. The team will include both neurotypical adolescents and young people with clinically significant distractibility, including ADHD. Researchers will use modern, translational methods guided by the RDoC framework to link moment-to-moment distraction with performance in natural learning contexts. The goal is to produce more accurate, context-rich measures of attention than standard clinic tests.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents (roughly high-school age), including those diagnosed with ADHD or who struggle to stay focused in class or while studying at home.
Not a fit: Very young children, adults, or people whose difficulties are unrelated to attention or distractibility are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help schools, families, and clinicians identify the real-world triggers of distraction and tailor supports to improve learning.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory tests of attention exist but measuring distraction continuously in real-life learning settings is less common, so this combined, naturalistic approach is relatively novel.
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.
Conditions: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder