Contrary to What We Believe - Music Can Help Children with ADHD to Concentrate
Getting into rhythm: A simple solution to help children with Attention-Deficit\Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention-Deficit\Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most talked-about topics in the field of education and parenting. A common belief is that a quiet and stimuli-free environment might help children with ADHD to concentrate. Findings from a research study conducted at Bar-Ilan’s School of Education contradicts this assumption.
A study conducted by Prof. Nir Madjar and Rami Gazoli of Bar-Ilan University's School of Education, and their associates Prof. Gal Shoval and Prof. Iris Manor of the Tel-Aviv University School of Medicine and “Geha” Mental Health Center, explored whether music improves reading performance of preadolescents with ADHD compared with typically developed peers. The researchers examined the children’s reading comprehension under four conditions: without background music, with calm music without lyrics, calm music with lyrics, and rhythmic music with lyrics. During the experiment, the heartrate variability of the children was monitored in order to follow the relaxation level of the autonomic nervous system (responsible for automatic processes such as heartrate). They found that with music in the background, the children with ADHD were more relaxed, and their reading comprehension improved. For children without ADHD, the music hindered reading comprehension.
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