Otago senior lecturer in psychology, Dr Dione Healey last week received a $150,000 grant from the Health Research Council to compare the Otago cognitive development programme with an established "Triple P" behaviour-modification programme for hyperactive preschoolers.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders, causing difficulties for youngsters, their families, schools, and society.
For such children "A and E visitations" sometimes followed "reckless and impulsive behaviours", researchers said.
There were effective treatments for the disorder, involving medication and behavioural management training, but they did not have lasting effects.
The Otago early intervention programme addressed delayed cognitive development associated with ADHD and encouraged self-regulation and brain development through "brain training" techniques, Dr Healey said.
Results from an earlier Otago study showed significant reductions in ADHD symptoms and improvements in brain functioning associated with self-regulation.
Importantly, improvements in self-regulation were also associated with a reduction in ADHD symptoms up to 12 months after treatment.
She was "incredibly excited and honoured" to gain the HRC grant, and was keen to pursue research involving an "Engage" programme she and colleagues had developed.
Engage is an acronym for "enhancing neurocognitive growth with the aid of games and exercise".
This programme uses common children's games - including coloured building blocks and activities such as "musical statues" - to target skill deficits associated with hyperactivity and inattention, in a bid to improve brain functioning and teach self-regulatory skills.
Dr Healey hopes to recruit 120 hyperactive Dunedin 3 and 4-year-olds for the study. Parents of "highly active" children can contact the research team through Dianne Morrison at dianne@psy.otago.ac.nz
