Browsing by Author "Vorster, J. G."

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    The influence of music on concentration in individuals with ADHD
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Vorster, J. G.; Fourie, P. R.; Van den Heever, David Jacobus; Fourie, M. M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study was to determine whether different musical experiences can influence concentration in a positive way. As a result, determining whether music can be used as an alternative management method for attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A total of 11 volunteers (8 females and 3 males) with a mean age of 21.85 years, diagnosed with ADHD, participated in this study. Each participant participated in a four-day experiment where they were subjected to a different treatment condition on each day. Specifically, the four conditions consisted of binaural beats, classical music, music of preference, and ADHD medication. To assess performance and concentration, four behavioral tasks (Stroop task, sustained attention task, working memory task as well as time perception task) were introduced during each condition. Functional-near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to monitor the prefrontal cortex for changes in oxy-, deoxy-, and total-haemoglobin across all four days. Analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy data revealed that oxy-haemoglobin induced the greatest activity across the prefrontal cortex. No overall significant differences in activation levels were observed for the four behavioural tasks, however. In terms of the behavioural data, the only significant effect across conditions were observed for the sustained attention task. Here, the medication condition was associated with significantly better performance in comparison to the binaural beats condition. Binaural beats negatively affected performance and increased reaction time during this task. The results from this study suggest that listening to binaural beats negatively impacts sustained attention in comparison to classical music, music of preference, as well as medication. Although these results are not conclusive, it provides initial evidence that different musical experiences affect attention in different ways, thereby supporting its potential use as an alternative management method for ADHD. The study also provides insight into how the ADHD brain responds to different musical experiences as well as medication.