Research Shows Afternoon School Shifts Don't Improve Performance for Students with Severe Attention Difficulties
A study reveals that switching school shifts to the afternoon does not improve academic performance in students with severe attention difficulties or ADHD. Research emphasizes the need for comprehensive treatment strategies beyond school schedule changes.
Recent research indicates that switching school shifts to the afternoon does not provide academic benefits for students suffering from severe attention difficulties or ADHD. While previous studies suggested that aligning school times with students' biological clocks could enhance performance, these findings do not hold true for this group. The study, conducted with 2,240 Brazilian students aged six to 14, analyzed their reading and writing skills, incidences of disciplinary issues, and ADHD symptoms over a period of three years.
The results demonstrated that for children with attention deficit disorder, whether they studied in the morning or afternoon, their academic difficulties persisted. The study revealed that shifting to the afternoon shift improved performance only among students with minimal or no ADHD symptoms; for those with significant attention issues, the intervention was ineffective. Interestingly, the morning shift generally led to lower performance across the board for students without ADHD, without exacerbating the difficulties faced by those with attention problems.
The research was published in the journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and is part of the Brazilian High Risk Cohort Study, which has evaluated over 2,500 students at risk of mental health disorders in Porto Alegre and São Paulo.
According to experts, nonpharmacological strategies are essential in helping children and adolescents with ADHD succeed academically. Untreated ADHD can lead to a cascade of issues, including social isolation and mental health problems like anxiety and depression in adulthood. The findings highlight that simply changing school hours is not enough to address the learning challenges associated with ADHD. Instead, a comprehensive approach that includes medical, psychological, and educational support is necessary for effective management.
For more insights, refer to the full study: European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
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