The Effects of White Noise on Attentional Performance and On-Task Behaviors in Preschoolers with ADHD

Abstract

Several models have tentatively associated improving attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms with arousal and external environmental stimulation. In order to further clarify the relationships between ADHD symptoms, arousal, and external stimulation, this study focused on exploring the “simultaneous” effects of white noise on intrinsic attentional performance and extrinsic on-task behaviors in preschoolers with and without ADHD. By using the computerized task (K-CPT 2), 104 preschoolers, including 52 ADHD children and 52 typically developing (TD) children, were tested and analyzed for their intrinsic attention (such as detectability, omission errors, commission errors, and reaction time). Simultaneously, these preschoolers’ external on-task behaviors were recorded for analysis through systematic observation. This study showed that white noise could effectively improve attention performance, including enhancing the ability to differentiate non-targets from targets and decreasing omission errors. It could also reduce the extrinsic hyperactive behaviors of preschoolers with ADHD. The findings of this study highlighted that white noise stimulation is a beneficial non-pharmacological treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. In contrast, for TD preschoolers, the results of this study showed that the external white noise stimuli were not only unhelpful but also a burden.