Reading without eye movements: Improving reading comprehension in young adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Impaired reading comprehension is a common complaint in ADHD that is accompanied by altered eye movement patterns. Here we tested whether minimizing the need for eye movements during reading aids comprehension. We measured reading comprehension in a sample of undergraduate students with and without ADHD using normal text reading with all words fully visible (FULL), PACED reading that preserved text layout with one word at a time appearing at its usual location in the text, and reading with minimal eye movements in which one word at a time appeared in the center of the screen in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP). ADHD participants benefited from RSVP by almost 13% relative to neurotypical controls, who showed comprehension difficulties using the RSVP mode. Minimizing eye movement boosted reading comprehension in the ADHD adults. Our results suggest that eye movements can be disruptive to cognitive processes in ADHD. Future work should explore the possibility of RSVP as a reading aid in ADHD.