difficulty recruiting pediatric participants followed by a prolonged shut down due to COVID-19

The goal of this study is to create a formal, quantitative methodology to determine what is the most beneficial dose of Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant (Ritalin, methylphenidate) to improve cognitive and behavioral function of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) individually. If successful, it will change the way in which the dose of CNS stimulant for treating ADHD is determined for children in need of therapeutic intervention. The project will be focused on developing the necessary methodology to analyze the children's data with the drift-decision model (DDM), and to develop the required technology, i.e., a computer game with which to measure cognitive/behavioral function and its validation with eye-tracking measurements.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 8-12 years of age;
• Accompanied by caregiver (parent or legal guardian);
• Able to understand and speak English;
• Able to read basic English;
• No counseling or current/past history of psychiatric illness, as confirmed by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Conner's rating scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active psychosis or suicidality
• History of primary psychotic disorder (e.g., schizophrenia) or bipolar disorder
• Recent (past 2 weeks) substance abuse or dependence
• History of brain damage or significant developmental delay
• Unstable medical condition such as newly diagnosed Type I Diabetes or Rheumatoid arthritis
• Use of oral steroids
• Participation in the last 30 days in a clinical study involving an investigational drug
• Current use of a psychotropic medicine

children