Study Skills Workshop Session 1 Todays Discussion Topics

Study Skills Workshop Session 1:

Today’s Discussion Topics • What is attention? • Discuss types of attention • Discuss factors that contribute to attentional reductions • BEFORE a task: strategies to eliminate distractions • DURING a task: strategies to maintain focus • Self-evaluation to identify areas for future improvement

Definition: What exactly is “attention”? v“The act or state of applying the mind to something. ” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary MENTAL CONTROL v“The process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others. ” Wordbook Dictionary FOCUS

There are millions of things to which we can attend, but we don’t perceive all of them. Why? Because they don’t all capture our interest. Our life experiences are determined by the things to which we decide to pay attention. William James (1890)

Activity: How is your attention? Attention Test

Types of Attention The ability to control attention can be divided into the following categories: § Focused or Selective Attention § Sustained Attention § Alternating Attention

– Focused or Selective Attention • The most basic level of attention • Refers to selecting one aspect of the environment for attention to the exclusion of other aspects

- Sustained Attention • Refers to the ability to maintain attention over time. • Requires mental control because you must block out other stimuli and focus attention. This state is characterized by freedom from distraction. • Requires vigilance to maintain alertness over time. • Requires working memory because you must actively hold onto information while you are attending to and manipulating it.

Attention • Reading is a sustained attention task

Alternating Attention • Refers to the ability to shift attention from one thing to another. • Requires mental flexibility, and also working memory to hold onto information involved in multiple tasks as you alternate attention between them. • Requires mental control to return to one task after shifting attention to another task.

Attention • Driving involves multitasking.

Attention • Note-taking requires multitasking.

Factors that Can Influence Attention ● ● ● ● ● Fatigue (poor sleep habits, poor diet) Pain (headaches) Medication effects and substance use Motivation Mood PTSD Anxiety Stress Neurological conditions, and other injuries or conditions that reduce sensation and/or perception (e. g. , hearing loss, tinnitus, vision problems, etc. )

Activity- Identify Personal Factors Fatigue Anxiety Attention Pain

Why is Attention Important? • Attention is the building block of other cognitive activities • Encoding of information • Memory • Communication

Attention Strategies What can I do about these difficulties?

Make Changes

Activity: Use this “Attention Lapse Log” to monitor your moments of inattention during this lecture.

Rehabilitation of reduced attention Reduce or eliminate the contributing factors: Increase sleep Reduce vigilance Reduce pain Work with care providers to identify most appropriate medications and dosages. Avoid substance abuse. • Work with care providers to reduce depression, anxiety, and symptoms associated with PTSD as these conditions affect your ability to engage. • Participate in care that targets conditions that may interfere with sensation and perception, particularly vision and hearing. • •

Rehabilitation of Reduced Attention UNDERSTAND > IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES > PRACTICE • Rehabilitation of reduced attention - Practice focusing, sustaining, and alternating attention - Practice must occur in real-life contexts • Compensation for reduced attention - Use devices that store information - For example: record a classroom lecture, borrow notes from another classmate, obtain copies of lecture notes prior to class • Modification of your environment - Eliminate distractions - Create conditions that contribute to improved attention

Set up for success Minimize distractions caused by… Things going on around us Things going on inside of us (external) (internal) - People - Objects (e. g. phone) - Noises - Clutter - Stress and anxiety - Personal needs (e. g. hunger) - Intrusive thoughts - Fatigue/burn out

Set up for success Minimize external distractions • Avoid a distracting environment – Find a quiet place to work – Consider using ear plugs – Ask others not to interrupt • Remove clutter from your living and working place • Find your preferred seat during lectures • Find a comfortable place to work – Adequate lighting – Comfortable seating

Set up for success Minimize internal distractions • Attend to your needs before a task • Mindfulness exercises • Take a break if you are feeling overloaded – Allow time for breaks in your schedule – Know your limits! • Work during your personal best time of day • Consider using a timer for task management. (e. g. , set a timer for 20 minutes and work continuously until the alarm sounds. Take a break, and start over.

Set up for success Minimize internal distractions • Keep your brain on track by anticipating what's to come – Preview materials that will be discussed in class BEFORE attending lectures (e. g. , textbooks, syllabus, slides). – Write a detailed to-do list BEFORE heading out to study. • Prioritize tasks based on importance • Set realistic goals • Ensure you have ALL materials needed to complete your goals

Set up for success Which will you try? - Things going on around us Things going on inside us (external) (internal) - - - -

Attention Strategies Active Focus • Rephrase information: put it in your own words • Visualize information: try to visualize what was presented to you • Self-talk: repeat information back to yourself • Summarize or paraphrase information • Make the information relevant to you • Make associations • Make predictions Use all of your senses!! (modalities)

Be an ACTIVE participant in class • If you do not understand what the teacher is saying, ask questions or ask for clarification. • Write down your question if the lecturer asks you to wait to ask questions until the end of the class. • Take notes during lecture • Ask yourself questions, as understanding enhances memory (e. g. , Do I understand? Do I need to ask a question? How is this meaningful to me? How does this fit with what I know? )

Attention Strategies: Environmental Modifications & Accommodations • Request permission to use a digital voice recorder in class. Ø After class, listen to the lecture and check your notes to see if you missed any important information. Add the missed information to your notes. Ø If you have difficulty taking notes in class, create notes from the audio recording. This gives you an opportunity to pause the lecture and create good notes. Ø The downside of this strategy is that some people don’t have the time or motivation to listen to a lecture more than once.

Attention Strategies: Environmental Modifications & Accommodations • Preferential classroom seating • Request to wear a hat/sunglasses to reduce glare from overhead lights and reduce photosensitivity. • Request additional breaks for stretching to reduce the impact of chronic pain.

Attention Strategies Studying • Encode information through multiple modalities (e. g. , reading and listening to lecture on digital voice recorder), or use your strongest processing modality. • Try to reduce the amount of information being presented at any one time (i. e. , distributed learning). Study smaller amounts over time. • Don’t forget to test yourself! (e. g. flashcards, quizzes)

Monitor your Attention • Mark the top of your page every time that you break concentration, or miss information presented by the lecturer. • Identify your attention limit (e. g. , 5, 10, 15 minutes? ) • Identify your most attentive time(s) of day. Complete most challenging tasks during that time. • Identify your strategy to redirect your attention back to the lecture.

Monitor Your Attention • Identify what are your distracters. Are they internal thoughts or external noises (e. g. , background noise, people in the classroom)? • Learn the signs that indicate that you are becoming tired, or breaking concentration (e. g. , resting your head on your hands, doodling). • Allow yourself time to adjust to changing tasks (e. g. switching from math homework to science homework).

Redirect Your Attention • Use self-talk for internal or external distracters. When you break attention, repeat the following mantra: If I lose my concentration, I will relax, breathe, and re-focus on what I am doing. • Keep a notecard in view as a visual reminder to stay focused. The card could read: Are you focused? What are you focusing on? What should you be focusing on? • Write down distracting thoughts. Address them at a later, more appropriate time (e. g. , after class, with your mental health provider).

Monitor your Attention • Utilize an “Attention Lapse Log” by documenting the following information when you notice poor attention: Ø Ø Ø Date Time Activity Mood Description What could you have done?

Activity: On your “Attention Lapse Log”, please enter possible attention strategies that could have been used to bring your focus back to this lecture.

Summary & Test Your Knowledge: • Attention involves actively applying the mind to something, while also excluding non-relevant information - Mental Control & Focus • There are 3 general types of attention that we utilize with various tasks throughout the day - Focused Attention - Sustained Attention - Alternating Attention

• What are some factors that influence attention that maybe be able to be controlled or eliminated? ● ● ● ● ● Fatigue (poor sleep habits, poor diet) Pain (headaches) Medication effects and substance use Motivation Mood PTSD Anxiety Stress Neurological conditions, and other injuries or conditions that reduce sensation and/or perception (e. g. , hearing loss, tinnitus, vision problems, etc. )

So how do I improve my attention? Rehabilitation of decreased attention is most effectively accomplished by: - Understanding the reasons for reduced attention - Implementing strategies to compensate for reductions - Practicing those strategies in real-life contexts

Summary: Attention Strategies • Before starting a task and/or attending lecture, “set yourself up for success” by: - Eliminating internal distractions - Eliminating external distractions • During a task/lecture: - Be an active participant and use attention strategies to maintain focus. - Don’t forget to take careful notes! - Consider use of environmental modifications and accommodations - Monitor your attention

Summary: Attention Strategies • After class and/or while studying: – Organize and simplify your notes and lecture materials by summarizing in your own words – Test yourself over several study sessions – Self-evaluate: What could I do better next time?

QUESTIONS? Next Workshop: Note-Taking and Mind-Mapping - Learn how to create effective notes during class and when reading - Learn what mind-mapping is and how it can improve note-taking and memory

References • Brookshire, R. H. (2003). Introduction to Neurogenic Communication Disorders. St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby, Inc. • Deraksham, N. & Eysenck, M. W. , Eds. (2010). Emotional States, Attention, and Working Memory. A Special Edition of the Cognition & Emotion. New York: Psychology Press. • Dohrmann, V. S. (1994). Treating memory impairments. Pro-Ed: Austin, TX. • Flippo, R. F. and Caverly, D. C. , Eds. (2009). Handbook of College Reading and Study Strategy Research, Second Edition. Routledge, New York, NY. • Green, B. S. , Stevens, K. M. , & Wolfe, T. D. (1997). Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Therapy and Resource Manual. Singular Publishing Group, Inc. : San Diego, CA. • James, W. (1890). The Principles of Psychology. Online through York University. psychclassics. yorku. ca/James/Principles/ • Halligan, P. W. , & Wade, D. T. , Eds. (2005). Effectiveness of Rehabilitation for Cognitive Deficits. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.

References • Hopper, C. H. (2010). Practicing College Learning Strategies, Fifth Edition. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. • Nitta, L. , & Maresca, L. (2012). Attention Strategies V 2. Smart Start College Prep Program (2 nd ed. ). • Roediger III, H. L. and Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-Enhanced Learning. Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention. Psychological Science, 17(3): 249 -255. • Sohlberg, M. M. & Mateer, C. A. (2001). Cognitive Rehabilitation. An Integrative Neuropsychological Approach. New York: The Guilford Press. • Ward, A. (2004). Attention. A Neuropsychological Approach. New York: Psychology Press. • Webster, S. & Scott, R. R. (1983). The effects of self-instructional training on attentional deficits following head injury. Clinical Neuropsychology, 5.