Visual Attentional Training Improves Reading Capabilities in Children with Dyslexia: An Eye Tracker Study During a Reading Task

Combined Cognitive and Motor Training Improves Reading, Writing and Motor Coordination in Dyslexic Children

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Different strategies were proposed to enhance dyslexic children's performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of combined cognitive and motor training on reading, writing, and motor coordination in dyslexic children.

METHODS

Twenty-four children with dyslexia (9.33 ± 0.48 years) were randomly allocated to either a Control (CG, 9.25 ± 0.45 years, n = 12) or a Trained Group (TG, 9.42 ± 0.51 years, n = 12). The intervention lasted eight weeks with a pre/post measurement (Δ) design in each group. It consisted of a combined cognitive and motor program composed of two 45 min sessions per week in TG. Reading and writing capabilities were measured using the word reading task based on the French battery (BALE) and the word dictation task, inspired by the ODÉDYS-2 French battery, respectively. The visuospatial orientation and the upper limb coordination parameters were evaluated using the Judgment of Line Orientation Test and Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency, second edition, short form test, respectively.

RESULTS

Two-way ANOVA for repeated measures showed no significant difference between CG and TG in pre-intervention in all tests. Reading (p < 0.001, d = 1.19, Δ% = 15.07) and writing (p < 0.001, d = 1.13, Δ% = 19.69) scores increased significantly at post-compared to preintervention in the TG group. Comparable results were obtained in the visuospatial orientation (p < 0.001, d = 0.97, Δ% = 63.50) and the upper limb coordination (p < 0.001, d = 0.69, Δ% = 110.42) scores. No significant change was observed in CG comparing pre/post-intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

A combined cognitive and motor training program could allow better cerebellar integration, leading to the improvement in reading, writing, and motor abilities in children with dyslexia. Further studies on a larger number of dyslexic children will be necessary to explore such issues.

Driving Factors in the Development of Eye Movement Patterns in Chinese Reading: The Roles of Linguistic Ability and Oculomotor Maturation

The mechanisms driving the development of eye movement patterns is an unresolved debate in children during reading, with three competing hypotheses: the oculomotor-tuning hypothesis, the linguistic-proficiency hypothesis, and the combined hypothesis that incorporates both. This study examined eye movement patterns in 215 Chinese children from first to fifth grade using sentence-reading tasks. Oculomotor maturation was measured through saccade tasks, and linguistic abilities were assessed using Chinese character recognition and vocabulary knowledge tests. Path analysis explored how these factors predict temporal and spatial eye movement measures. Results indicated that temporal measures were primarily driven by linguistic abilities, supporting the linguistic-proficiency hypothesis. Spatial measures, however, were influenced by both linguistic abilities and oculomotor maturation, supporting the combined hypothesis. These findings diverge from predictions of the E-Z Reader model in alphabetic scripts, likely due to the unique visual complexity of Chinese characters.

Perceived depth modulates allocation of attention

There is growing evidence that the visual system processes objects perceived as closer more quickly and accurately than those farther away, a phenomenon known as the "close advantage effect" (CAE). The mechanisms underlying this effect, however, remain unknown. In this series of studies, we assessed whether perceived depth modulates allocation of attention. Using a Posner cueing task in Experiment 1a, we found greater accuracy for close surface targets (demonstrating the CAE). Critically, we also found a smaller Posner effect in the close surface, suggesting that attentional resources are better utilized in this space. Experiment 1b confirmed that these results were not due to differences in background surface sizes. In Experiment 2a, using the Egly-Driver task, we replicated and extended the results of Experiment 1a. Participants were more accurate when shifting attention from far to close surfaces and when shifting attention within the close surface, compared to when shifting attention within the far surface. These results suggest that perceived proximity makes attentional shifts more efficient. This effect persisted in Experiment 2b, even after controlling for the perceived size of the targets. Overall, our findings show that perceived depth modulates attention, with close space receiving preferential processing likely due to its relevance for immediate interaction.

The use of eye tracking in supporting individuals with dyslexia: a review

Dyslexia is defined as a specific learning disorder that impairs a person's ability to read fluently and accurately. A growing number of assistive technologies have been used to support individuals with dyslexia. Eye-tracking technology is one such technology, and it is gaining increasing attention from the research community due to its potential to be a valuable support tool for identifying underlying neural differences in language processing among this population. While the technology has seen significant advancements in recent years, researchers, particularly in psychology and special education, might face difficulties utilizing eye-tracking technology in their dyslexia research. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how eye tracking is employed in this field. By analysing 71 papers, we investigated the range of dyslexia-related aspects that were addressed by eye-tracking technology, how the technology was used, and the connections between eye-tracking measurements and reading in studies including individuals with dyslexia. This review article reveals that researchers have long recognized the potential of eye tracking in dyslexia research, as evidenced by the consistent focus on this technology in relevant studies throughout the years. Our paper also indicates the value of eye-tracking technology in exploring a wide range of dyslexia-related aspects. These include reading behaviours and information searching, the impact of materials on reading performance, detection, intervention, and the evaluation of intervention outcomes. Furthermore, by exploring both the achievements and shortcomings, the paper offers a valuable roadmap for future research specifically focused on supporting individuals with dyslexia.

An Eye Tracker Study on the Understanding of Implicitness in French Elementary School Children

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to use an eye tracker to compare the understanding of three forms of implicitness (i.e., presupposition, conversational implicatures, and irony) in 139 pupils from the first to the fifth year of elementary school.

METHODS

The child was invited to read short texts composed of a context about some characters and a target sentence conveying one of the three kinds of implicitness. After that, there was a comprehension yes/no question to check whether the child had understood the implicit content of the target sentence. At the same time eye, movements were recorded by a remote system (Pro Fusion by Tobii). The number of correct answers, the duration, and the number of fixations on the texts were measured.

RESULTS

We showed that children's reading time is positively correlated with the accurate comprehension of implicitness, and that children similarly understand the three types of implicitness. Furthermore, the number and the duration of fixations depend both on the age of the children and on their good or poor understanding of the implicit contents. This fact is particularly noticeable for children in the first-grade class, for whom fixations are significantly longer and more frequent when they correctly understand sentences containing implicitness.

CONCLUSION

These results argue in favor of the possibility of teaching the comprehension of some types of implicitness (presupposition, implicature, and irony) from an early age.

Eye-tracker and fNIRS: Using neuroscientific tools to assess the learning experience during children's educational robotics activities

In technology education, there has been a paradigmatic shift towards student-centered approaches such as learning by doing, constructionism, and experiential learning. Educational robotics allows students to experiment with building and interacting with their creations while also fostering collaborative work. However, understanding the student's response to these approaches is crucial to adapting them during the teaching-learning process. In this sense, neuroscientific tools such as Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Eye-tracker could be useful, allowing the investigation of relevant states experienced by students. Although they have already been used in educational research, their practical relevance in the teaching-learning process has not been extensively investigated. In this perspective article expressing our position, we bring four examples of learning experiences in a robotics class with children, in which we illustrate the usefulness of these tools.

Comparison of stereopsis thresholds measured with conventional methods and a new eye tracking method

PURPOSE

Stereopsis is the ability to perceive depth using the slightly different views from two eyes. This study aims to conduct innovative stereopsis tests using the objective data outputted by eye tracking technology.

METHODS

A laptop and an eye tracker were used to establish the test system. Anaglyphic glasses were employed to execute the stereopsis assessment. The test symbol employed was devised to emulate the quantitative measurement component of the Random Dot 3 Stereo Acuity Test. Sub-pixel technology was used to increase the disparity accuracy of test pages. The tested disparities were: 160″, 100″, 63″, 50″, 40″, 32″, 25″, 20″, 16″, and 12.5″. The test was conducted at a distance of 0.65m. Conventional and eye tracking stereopsis assessments were conducted on 120 subjects. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to test the difference, while the Bland-Altman method was used to test the consistency between the two methods.

RESULTS

The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed no significant difference between conventional and eye tracking thresholds of stereopsis (Z = -1.497, P = 0.134). There was a high level of agreement between the two methods using Bland- Altman statistical analysis (The 95 per cent limits of agreement were -0.40 to 0.47 log arcsec).

CONCLUSIONS

Stereoacuity can be evaluated utilizing an innovative stereopsis measurement system grounded in eye tracking technology.

Eye movements during reading in beginning and skilled readers: Impact of reading level or physiological maturation?

We begin by presenting and examining relevant data in the literature on eye movements in reading, from childhood to adulthood. In particular, we discuss the differences found in eye movements during reading between children in different age groups and with different reading levels and skilled adult readers in terms of word recognition and sentence processing. We then critically discuss two hypotheses that account for the differences between children and adults' eye movement during reading: one being reading age itself - the changes in eye movement patterns in reading are regulated by the level of reading proficiency and its automatization - and the other being the role of maturation of oculomotor control and, consequently, its possible changes in eye movement patterns during reading. Finally, we list gaps in the research field and suggest that future research will benefit from investigating eye movements during reading in ex-illiterate adults who are in the process of learning to read in order to isolate both reading and maturational factors.

Is learning a logographic script easier than reading an alphabetic script for German children with dyslexia?

PURPOSE

Developmental dyslexia in alphabetic languages (DD) is characterized by a phonological deficit. Since logographic scripts rely predominantly on visual and morphological processing, reading performance in DD can be assumed to be less impaired when reading logographic scripts.

METHODS

40 German-speaking children (18 with DD, 22 not reading-impaired-group C; 9-11 years) received Chinese lessons. Eye movements (EM) were recorded during naming single alphabetic words, pictures (confrontational) and Chinese characters to be named in German and Chinese. The main outcome variables were: Articulation latency, numbers and durations of fixations. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by questionnaires.

RESULTS

While reading alphabetic words, articulation latencies and numbers of fixations were significantly higher for group DD than for group C (AL-DD = 1.13, AL-C = 0.84, p< .001; FN-DD = 3.50; FN-C = 2.00, p< .001). For naming pictures and Chinese characters in German and in Chinese, no significant group differences were found for any of the EM variables. The percentage of correct answers was high for German naming (DD = 86.67%, C = 95.24%; p = .015) and lower for Chinese naming in both groups, but significantly lower in group DD, especially for Chinese naming (DD = 56.67%, C: 83.77%; p = .003). QoL differed between groups from the children's perspective only at posttest. Parents of group DD perceived their children`s QoL to be lower compared with parents of group C at pre- and posttest.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with dyslexia performed as well as group C during naming Chinese characters in German and in Chinese regarding their EM variables, presumably because they processed Chinese characters by the visuo-spatial pathway with direct access to the semantic system. However, the significantly lower percentage of correct answers especially during Chinese naming showed that group DD had more difficulties naming Chinese characters than group C, which could be attributed to their phonological deficit, among other factors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German clinical trials register (DRKS00015697).

Pathogenesis of Comorbid ADHD and Chinese Developmental Dyslexia: Evidence From Eye-Movement Tracking and Rapid Automatized Naming

BACKGROUND

ADHD and Chinese developmental dyslexia (DD) have a very high comorbidity rate; however, which cognitive deficits characterize the comorbidity and when they occur during cognitive processing are still under debate.

METHODS

Rapid automatic naming (RAN) tasks with eye-movement tracking were conducted with 75 children who were typically developing, had comorbid ADHD and DD, had only ADHD, and had only DD.

RESULTS

The clinical groups had longer first fixation durations than the control for RAN digits. Temporal eye-movement measures, such as gaze duration and total reading time, were found to vary between the comorbidity and ADHD groups. Spatial eye-movement measures, such as regression probability and incoming saccade amplitude, differed between the comorbidity and DD groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that investigation with eye-movement measures combined with RAN tasks can strengthen the understanding of the pathogenesis of comorbid ADHD and DD.

Reading performance in children with ADHD: an eye-tracking study

Reading disabilities have a profound impact on the academic performance and achievement of children. Although oculomotor pattern abnormalities during reading in children with dyslexia are well known, those in individuals with attention deficit and hyperactive disorders (ADHD) - who also frequently exhibit a reading impairment - remain largely undetermined. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the peculiarities of oculomotor pattern abnormalities during a reading task. An eye-tracker was used to record eye movements in four distinct groups of children with neurodevelopmental disorders: children with dyslexia, children with ADHD with and without comorbid dyslexia, and in a group of typically developing children (TD). Ninety-six children participated in the study (24 children per group, IQ- and age-matched groups). The duration of fixation, the total reading time, and the number of forward and backward saccades were similar in children with dyslexia and ADHD + dyslexia, but were significantly different from those observed in children with ADHD and with TD. Our findings suggest a link between dyslexia and oculomotor reading impairments in both children with dyslexia and children with ADHD + dyslexia, indicating that the oculomotor pattern in children with ADHD without comorbid dyslexia is similar to that observed in TD children. We suggest that an objective eye movement recording during a reading task could help clinicians to better evaluate the possible presence of comorbid dyslexia in children with ADHD. Furthermore, children with ADHD with and without comorbid dyslexia could also have working memory deficiencies. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Eye-tracking training improves the learning and memory of children with learning difficulty

Children who experience difficulty in learning at mainstream schools usually are provided with remediation classes after school to facilitate their learning. The present study aims to evaluate an innovative eye-tracking training as possible alternative remediation. Our previous findings showed that children who received eye-tracking training demonstrated improved attention and inhibitory control, and the present randomized controlled study aims to evaluate if eye-tracking training can also enhance the learning and memory of children. Fifty-three primary school students with learning difficulty (including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disorder, specific language impairment and borderline intellectual functioning) were recruited and randomly assigned to either the Eye-tracking Training group or the after-school remediation class. They were assessed on their learning and memory using the Hong Kong List Learning Test before and after 8-month training. Twenty weekly parallel sessions of training, 50 min per session, were provided to each group. Children who received the eye-tracking training, not those in the control group, showed a significant improvement in memory as measured by the delayed recall. In addition, the Eye-Tracking Training group showed significantly faster learning than the control group. Also, the two groups showed a significant improvement in their reading abilities. In sum, eye-tracking training may be effective training for enhancing the learning and memory of children with learning difficulties.

Effects of an Eye-Tracking Linkage Attention Training System on Cognitive Function Compared to Conventional Computerized Cognitive Training System in Patients with Stroke

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of an eye-tracking linkage attention training system on cognitive function compared to a conventional computerized cognitive training system in stroke patients with cognitive impairment. Methods: This retrospective study was enrolled 40 stroke patients who received cognitive rehabilitation. The intervention consisted of 30 sessions and 30 min per session. Before and after the intervention, we assessed cognitive functions by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) and activities of daily living by Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) and administered a computerized neuropsychological test (CNT). Results: In both groups, there were significant improvements in MMSE-K and K-MBI (p < 0.05). In the visual and auditory attention test of the CNT, the eye-tracking linkage attention training group was significantly improved after intervention (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the conventional computerized cognitive training group. In addition, there were significant improvements in all memory tests of the CNT in the eye-tracking linkage attention training group. However, in the conventional computerized cognitive training group, there were significant improvements in some memory tests of the CNT. Conclusions: The training of poststroke cognitive impairment patients using an eye-tracking linkage attention training system may improve visuospatial attention and may be helpful for the improvement of short-term memory and independent performances in daily life activities.

What Is Going on with Visual Attention in Reading and Dyslexia? A Critical Review of Recent Studies

This critical review examined current issues to do with the role of visual attention in reading. To do this, we searched for and reviewed 18 recent articles, including all that were found after 2019 and used a Latin alphabet. Inspection of these articles showed that the Visual Attention Span task was run a number of times in well-controlled studies and was typically a small but significant predictor of reading ability, even after potential covariation with phonological effects were accounted for. A number of other types of tasks were used to examine different aspects of visual attention, with differences between dyslexic readers and controls typically found. However, most of these studies did not adequately control for phonological effects, and of those that did, only very weak and non-significant results were found. Furthermore, in the smaller studies, separate within-group correlations between the tasks and reading performance were generally not provided, making causal effects of the manipulations difficult to ascertain. Overall, it seems reasonable to suggest that understanding how and why different types of visual tasks affect particular aspects of reading performance is an important area for future research.

Influence of Vocalized Reading Practice on English Learning and Psychological Problems of Middle School Students

The purpose of this study is to improve the English learning anxiety and learning effect for middle school students. From the perspective of educational psychology, the influence of vocalized reading practice on the English learning of students is studied based on the self-efficacy theory and the schema theory. To encourage the students to practice English, the study might solve the problem of insufficient opportunities by applying the artificial intelligence (AI) chat system to the oral English practice of the students. Several research hypotheses are put forward, which concern the correlation between the English learning anxiety of the students with their self-efficacy, topic familiarity, and English grades under vocalized reading practice. Then, the hypotheses are verified through a controlled trial and a questionnaire survey (QS). Afterward, the experimental and QS data are statistically analyzed and tested with a regression model. The results show that the English grades, self-efficacy, and topic familiarity of the students have been significantly improved in the experimental group after the vocalized reading practice. The significance coefficient of the regression model is P = 0.000 < 0.05, which can be used to verify the proposed hypotheses. The English grades, self-efficacy, and topic familiarity can well-predict the English learning anxiety of the students. The computer simulation in educational communication (CSIEC) teaching system and AI can help create an interactive learning environment for the students to practice oral English by chatting with AI robots.

Short Vestibular and Cognitive Training Improves Oral Reading Fluency in Children with Dyslexia

(1) Background: This study explored the effect of short vestibular and cognitive training on the reading speed in dyslexic children. (2) Methods: The reading speed was evaluated by using a reading test (Évaluation de la Lecture en FluencE, ELFE) in a crossover design before (baseline) and after vestibular training (post VT) and no vestibular training (post no VT). Nineteen dyslexic children (9.48 ± 0.15 years) participated in the study. The vestibular and cognitive training (software developed by BeonSolution S.r.l.) consisted in four exercises presented on a Wacom tablet 10″ done for 16 min per session two times per week for four weeks; each exercise was composed of eight levels with increased difficulty. (3) Results: Following vestibular and cognitive training, dyslexic children increased their reading speed; interestingly, such an increase persisted at least one month after training. (4) Conclusions: Vestibular and cognitive training could improve the vestibular network, which is well known for being involved in several cognition functions leading to reading improvement in dyslexic children. Adaptive mechanisms could be responsible for maintaining such improvement for at least one month.

Silent versus Reading Out Loud modes: An eye-tracking study

The main purpose of this study is to compare the silent and loud reading ability of typical and dyslexic readers, using eye-tracking technology to monitor the reading process. The participants (156 students of normal intelligence) were first divided into three groups based on their school grade, and each subgroup was then further separated into typical readers and students diagnosed with dyslexia. The students read the same text twice, one time silently and one time out loud. Various eye-tracking parameters were calculated for both types of reading. In general, the performance of the typical students was better for both modes of reading - regardless of age. In the older age groups, typical readers performed better at silent reading. The dyslexic readers in all age groups performed better at reading out loud. However, this was less prominent in secondary and upper secondary dyslexics, reflecting a slow shift towards silent reading mode as they age. Our results confirm that the eye-tracking parameters of dyslexics improve with age in both silent and loud reading, and their reading preference shifts slowly towards silent reading. Typical readers, before 4th grade do not show a clear reading mode preference, however, after that age they develop a clear preference for silent reading.

Action video game training improves text reading accuracy, rate and comprehension in children with dyslexia: a randomized controlled trial

Dynamic visual attention training using Action Video Games (AVGs) is a promising intervention for dyslexia. This study investigated the efficacy of 5 h (10 × 30 min) of AVG training in dyslexic children (aged 8–13) using ‘Fruit Ninja’, while exploring whether increasing attentional and eye movement demands enhanced AVG effectiveness. Regular (AVG-R; n = 22) and enhanced AVG training (AVG+; n = 23) were compared to a treatment-as-usual comparison group (n = 19) on reading, rapid naming, eye movements and visuo-temporal processing. Playing ‘Fruit Ninja’ for only 5 h significantly improved reading accuracy, rate, comprehension and rapid naming of both AVG groups, compared to the comparison group, though increasing attentional demands did not enhance AVG efficacy. Participants whose low contrast magnocellular-temporal processing improved most following training also showed significantly greater improvement in reading accuracy. The findings demonstrate a clear role for visual attention in reading and highlight the clinical applicability of AVGs as a fun, motivational and engaging intervention for dyslexia.

Dyslexic Readers Improve without Training When Using a Computer-Guided Reading Strategy

Background: Flawless reading presupposes the ability to simultaneously recognize a sequence of letters, to fixate words at a given location for a given time, to exert eye movements of a given amplitude, and to retrieve phonems rapidly from memory. Poor reading performance may be due to an impairment of at least one of these abilities. Objectives: It was investigated whether reading performance of dyslexic children can be improved by changing the reading strategy without any previous training. Methods: 60 dyslexic German children read a text without and with the help of a computer. A tailored computer program subdivided the text into segments that consisted of no more letters than the children could simultaneously recognize, indicated the location in the segments to which the gaze should be directed, indicated how long the gaze should be directed to each segment, which reading saccades the children should execute, and when the children should pronounce the segments. The computer aided reading was not preceded by any training. Results: It was shown that the rate of reading mistakes dropped immediately by 69.97% if a computer determined the reading process. Computer aided reading reached the highest effect size of Cohen d = 2.649. Conclusions: The results show which abilities are indispensable for reading, that the impairment of at least one of the abilities leads to reading deficiencies that are diagnosed as dyslexia, and that a computer-guided, altered reading strategy immediately reduces the rate of reading mistakes. There was no evidence that dyslexia is due to a lack of eye movement control or reduced visual attention.

Predicting future poor readers from pre-reading visual skills: A longitudinal study

Reading is essential for learning, from literature to physics, from paper to screens on e-readers and smart phones. Even if it is well known that learning to read implies good language skills, children also need to develop good oculomotor and visual-perception skills. Thereby, any deficits in visual processing may affect learning. The possible impact of visual deficits is rarely considered, especially with regard to eye movements and visual perception. Hence, these deficits are usually discovered much later or remain undiagnosed. The present study aimed at assessing the usefulness of visual processing related measures in the early detection of reading difficulties. Visual skill differences that are apparent early in kindergarten might provide predictive insights into risk for learning difficulties at school entry. We used a prospective, longitudinal approach where visual processes (assessed with the Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test) were measured in 51 preschoolers, and the impact of these processes on future reading development was explored one year later, in Grade 1. Results showed that (1) 31% of our sample of preschoolers showed visual processing impairments (without any clinical complaints) and (2) reading accuracy and speed in first graders were significantly correlated with visual skills assessed in kindergarten, thus confirming the significant role of oculomotor and visual-perception processes in the acquisition of reading skills. These suggests the potential for these measures to be used clinically for identifying children at risk for low academic achievement, enabling appropriate targeting of early interventions.

Improvement of Pursuit Eye Movement Alterations after Short Visuo-Attentional Training in ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder without validated and objective diagnostic procedures. Several neurological dysfunctions in the frontal circuit, in the thalamus, and in the cerebellum have been observed in subjects with ADHD. These cortical and subcortical areas are responsible for eye movement control. Therefore, studying eye movements could be a useful tool to better understand neuronal alterations in subjects with ADHD. The aim of the present study was firstly to compare the quality of pursuit eye movements in a group of 40 children with ADHD (age 8.2 ± 1.2) and in a group of 40 sex-, IQ-, age-matched typically developing (TD) children; secondly, we aimed to examine if a short visuo-attentional training could affect pursuit performances in children with ADHD. Findings showed that children with ADHD presented a greater number of catch-up saccade and lower pursuit gain compared to TD children. Differently to TD children, in children with ADHD, the number of catch-up saccades and the pursuit gain were not significantly correlated with children's age. Furthermore, a short visuo-attentional training period can only slightly improve pursuit performance in children with ADHD, leading to a decrease of the occurrence of catch-up saccades only, albeit the effect size was small. The absence of any improvement in pursuit performance with age could be explained by the fact that the prefrontal and fronto-cerebellar circuits responsible for pursuit triggering are still immature. Pursuit eye movements can be used as a useful tool for ADHD diagnosis. However, attentional mechanisms controlled by these cortical structures could be improved by a short visuo-attentional training period. Further studies will be necessary to explore the effects of a longer visuo-attentional training period on oculomotor tasks in order to clarify how adaptive mechanisms are able to increase the attentional capabilities in children with ADHD.