Understanding how distraction affects students and how to measure it better
Official title: Quantification of Distraction in Academic settings: A Translational Approach
Funded at University of California at Davis · NIH-11617018 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies why distracted students, including those with ADHD, struggle in real-life learning and tests a clearer way to measure distraction in everyday settings.
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 start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $140,527 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH135266-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617018 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and youths in 9th grade or older who experience varying levels of distractibility, including those diagnosed with ADHD.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without significant distractibility or without ADHD may not experience direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
Youth face constant outside and internal distractions that disrupt their ability to stay on task, especially in class or while studying. The project uses real-life learning contexts to measure distractibility more accurately, beyond what clinics usually capture. By including both neurotypical youths and those with ADHD, the study aims to map distraction across different levels of impairment using new measurement approaches. The team from UC Davis and Bar Ilan University will translate these insights into a framework that links distraction to learning outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better tools and strategies to help students stay focused and improve academic performance.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests that real-world distraction is important for learning, but this project seeks more precise, context-rich measurements.
Where this research is happening
-
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.
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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.