Training Executive, Attention, and Motor Skills (TEAMS): Preliminary Studies

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议的申请旨在为“执行、注意力和运动技能训练（TEAMS）”的开发开展基础工作，这是一种针对患有注意力缺陷/多动症（ADHD）的学龄前儿童的新颖干预措施。 TEAMS 齐思旨在持久减少儿童 ADHD 症状和相关损伤，从而预防 ADHD 在整个生命周期中经常出现的慢性和高度损伤的过程。 TEAMS 基于以下概念：1) ADHD 的行为表现是神经网络缺陷的结果，影响广泛的神经认知和行为过程，这些过程在所有患有该疾病的儿童中不一定相同； 2）神经发育对适当的环境影响很敏感，并且可以受到适当的环境影响的积极影响； 3）有效的环境刺激最好在动态的社会背景下实现； 4) 儿童参与治疗的核心活动必须是内在奖励（即有趣）而不是外在强化（例如表扬或象征），以促进自我强加的持续干预，这将导致随着时间的推移和跨环境的普遍化。我们建议，这些目标可以通过使用类似游戏的活动来实现，这些活动对一系列神经认知和运动技能提出要求，并穿插进行体育锻炼。 TEAMS 将在小组环境中（大约 5 名儿童）进行管理。同时进行的家长小组将重点帮助他们让孩子在家中参与这些类似游戏和锻炼的活动。此外，我们将要求家长鼓励孩子和他/她的同龄人之间进行此类游戏，以便于在我们的临床环境之外实施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed application is to conduct the ground work for the development of "Training Executive, Attention and Motor Skills (TEAMS)," a novel intervention for preschool children with Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). TEAMS is designed to result in enduring reductions of ADHD symptoms and associated impairments in children, and thus prevent the chronic and highly impairing course that ADHD oftentimes takes throughout the lifespan. TEAMS is based on the notions that: 1) the behavioral manifestations of ADHD are the result of deficient neural networks that affect a wide array of neurocognitive and behavioral processes which are not necessarily identical in all children with the disorder; 2) neurodevelopment is sensitive to and can be positively affected by appropriate environmental influences; 3) effective environmental stimulation will be best achieved within a dynamic social context; and 4) the engagement of the child in the core activities of the treatment must be intrinsically rewarding (i.e., fun) rather than extrinsically reinforced (e.g., praise or tokens) in order to facilitate self- imposed continuation of the intervention which will lead to generalization over time and across settings. We propose that these goals can be achieved through the use of game-like activities which place demands on an array of neurocognitive and motor skills, interspersed with periods of physical exercise. TEAMS will be administered within the context of a small group setting (Approximately 5 children). A concurrently-occurring parent group will focus on helping them to engage their children in these game-like and exercise activities at home. In addition, parents will be asked to encourage such play among their child and his/her peers so as to facilitate implementation outside of our clinical setting.