Enhancing Sustained Attention of Lower Secondary School Students by using Art Activity Combined with Breathing-Meditation Training Program

Abstract

          Sustained attention is a crucial cognitive process and it affects the learning process of students. This research was an experimental research aiming to investigate the effects of the meditation training program, the art activity program and the art activity combined with breathing-meditation training program on the sustained attention and to compare the effectiveness of these programs to enhance the sustained attention of lower secondary school students. The sixty-six lower secondary school students, aged from 13-15 years old were randomly assigned to the meditation training group, the art activity group, and the art activity combined with breathing-meditation training group. The research instruments were 1) personal information questionnaire, 2) the meditation training program, 3) the art activity program, 4) the art activity combined with breathing-meditation training program and 5) the Attention network test (ANT). Data were analyzed by using dependent t- test and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). The results showed that the meditation training group, the art activity group, and the art activity combined with breathing-meditation training group presented the increased in sustained attention when compared to the pretest condition. Moreover, it was found that the art activity combined with breathing-meditation training program was the most effective to enhance the sustained attention of lower secondary school students. In conclusion, all three programs were capable of enhancing sustained attention in lower secondary school students.