Attention, Impulsivity and Regulation (AIR) Program | UC Davis MIND Institute

AIR Program

Attention, Impulsivity and Regulation

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AIR Program Mission

We aim to improve the lives of children, teens and adults experiencing challenges with attention, impulsivity, or cognitive and emotional regulation. This includes helping persons with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), vulnerability for substance use and problems with self-regulation. ADHD is the most common childhood behavioral disorder associated with problems with attention, impulsivity and regulation.

We know that those severely affected by these issues have remarkable potential, and it is our mission to help individuals achieve that potential.

Our program is leading the way by conducting research in several areas:

  • Understanding brain functioning and development in ADHD, typically developing teens and young adults
  • Studying how the brain changes with the development of self-control
  • Developing and testing nonpharmacological treatments for distractibility and impulsivity
  • Virtual reality treatment for improving attention
  • Computer app for increasing self-control in young children
  • Computerized cognitive training for children with autism and fragile X
  • Using a randomized, control trial to test how to educate the public about ADHD
  • Exploring the presence of ADHD symptoms in children with autism
  • Identifying the link between ADHD and substance use disorders
  • Testing links between “fidgeting” and attention