Recruiting

Focus of Attention

Sponsor:

Western Carolina University

Code:

NCT05874661

Conditions

Stroke, Acute

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

External Focus of Attention

Internal Focus of Attention

Study Details

Brief summary:

Focus of attention refers to what a person is thinking about during a task, with an internal focus being thinking about what one's body is doing and an external focus being thinking about a target or outcome in the environment. The purpose of this study is to fill some of the gaps in the literature by examining the effects of focus of attention on performance and learning of sit to stand in individuals post stroke. This study will investigate whether an internal or external focus of attention can lead to improved use of the affected lower extremity during the sit to stand transition, while maintaining an upright trunk position.

Conditions

Stroke, Acute

Study ID

NCT05874661

Start date

Apr 2, 2023

Status verified date

May, 2023

Completion date

Aug 31, 2024

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May 31, 2024

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • post stroke <6 months
  • at least 18 years of age, of any gender, race, or ethnic group

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unable to stand unassisted from a standard height, 20" chair, with or without upper extremity assistance
  • Unable to ambulate 20 feet without physical assistance or
  • Moderate to severely impaired cognition with a score of <10/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA)
  • Contraversive pushing with >1 according to the Scale for Contraversive Pushing Scale
  • Neglect as evidenced by <44/56 on the Star Cancellation Test
  • Any orthopedic or other neurologic conditions that impact their ability to transition from sit to stand

Study Design

Enrollment

16 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: Internal Focus of Attention Group

Participants will be given instructions that make them think about their body's movements.

Participants assigned to this condition first will complete the external focus condition second in the cross over.

experimental: Extneral Focus of Attention Group

Participants will be given instructions that make them think about an outside target or outcome.

Participants assigned to this condition first will complete the internal focus condition second in the cross over.

Interventions

External Focus of Attention

Focus of attention refers to what a person is thinking about during a task, with an external focus being thinking about a target or outcome in the environment.

Internal Focus of Attention

Focus of attention refers to what a person is thinking about during a task, with an internal focus being thinking about what one's body is doing.

Primary outcome measure

  • Proportion of force under affected lower extremity [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
  • Proportion of force under affected lower extremity [ Time Frame: Acquisition (one 1 hour training) ]
  • Proportion of force under affected lower extremity [ Time Frame: Short term (5 minutes after training) ]
  • Proportion of force under affected lower extremity [ Time Frame: Long term (1 hour after training) ]
  • Trunk alignment [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
  • Trunk alignment [ Time Frame: Acquisition (1 hour training) ]
  • Trunk alignment [ Time Frame: Short term (5 minutes post training) ]
  • Trunk alignment [ Time Frame: Long term (1 hour post training) ]
  • Gait symmetry [ Time Frame: Baseline ]
  • Gait symmetry [ Time Frame: Short term (5 minutes after training) ]
  • Gait symmetry [ Time Frame: Long term (1 hour after training) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Ashley W Hyatt, DPT, PhD (C)

7176829710awhyatt@email.wcu.edu

Jeff Scoltock, Masters PT

8285085404jscoltock@gmail.com

Locations

CarePartners

Recruiting

Asheville, North Carolina, United States, 28803

Contacts

Jeff Scoltock, PT Masters

828-508-5405jscoltock@gmail.com

Western Carolina University

Recruiting

Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States, 28723

Contacts

Ashley W Hyatt, DPT

717-682-9710awhyatt@email.wcu.edu

David Hudson, PhD

8282272191dhudson@email.wcu.edu

Principal Investigator:

Ashley W. Hyatt, DPT

More Information

Sponsor

Western Carolina University

Last update posted

May 25, 2023

Last verified

May, 2023

Keywords

  • Focus of Attention
  • Motor Learning
  • Sit to Stand

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Western Carolina University on 2023-05-25.