The Impact of Matcha and Coffee on ADHD
Faculty Mentor
Sara Haden
Major/Area of Research
Psychology
Description
INTRODUCTION: One of the main signs of ADHD is issues with focus, which often lead people to turn to stimulants like coffee for help in concentration. However, the caffeine in coffee may trigger temporary spikes that result in crashes, which may make prolonged focus worse. Caffeine and L-theanine, a substance linked with reduced alertness and lowered jitteriness, are both found in matcha, a powdered green tea. Despite the fact both of the drinks are common, little research has been done to assess how they influence attention in people with ADHD. The objective of this study is to find out whether matcha, as compared to coffee, promotes and maintains attention in individuals with ADHD.
METHOD: A convenience sample of 33 college students were asked to complete a Stroop task and then fill out a Google Form with corresponding questions. Participants were classified into a caffeine group (n=18) and a no-caffeine group (n=15) based on if they reported caffeine consumption that day. Additional self report variables assessed sleep and tiredness as potential factors of interference. Participants were recruited using social media and close family contacts. They completed the form online, where they documented their caffeine consumption, completed the Stroop task, recorded their completion time and answered questions about sleep.
RESULTS: An independent samples t-test showed that participants who consumed caffeine (M=29.3, SD=8.39) had slightly longer stroop task completion times than those who did not consume caffeine (M=27.7, SD=7.66), but it was not statistically significant, (31) = -0.567, p=.575.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Caffeine consumption was not associated with improved attentional performance, in this study because there was no noteworthy variation between the two groups. The results do not support the hypothesis because factors such as sleep, individual tolerance differences, and uncontrollable variables may have influenced the findings.
The Impact of Matcha and Coffee on ADHD
INTRODUCTION: One of the main signs of ADHD is issues with focus, which often lead people to turn to stimulants like coffee for help in concentration. However, the caffeine in coffee may trigger temporary spikes that result in crashes, which may make prolonged focus worse. Caffeine and L-theanine, a substance linked with reduced alertness and lowered jitteriness, are both found in matcha, a powdered green tea. Despite the fact both of the drinks are common, little research has been done to assess how they influence attention in people with ADHD. The objective of this study is to find out whether matcha, as compared to coffee, promotes and maintains attention in individuals with ADHD.
METHOD: A convenience sample of 33 college students were asked to complete a Stroop task and then fill out a Google Form with corresponding questions. Participants were classified into a caffeine group (n=18) and a no-caffeine group (n=15) based on if they reported caffeine consumption that day. Additional self report variables assessed sleep and tiredness as potential factors of interference. Participants were recruited using social media and close family contacts. They completed the form online, where they documented their caffeine consumption, completed the Stroop task, recorded their completion time and answered questions about sleep.
RESULTS: An independent samples t-test showed that participants who consumed caffeine (M=29.3, SD=8.39) had slightly longer stroop task completion times than those who did not consume caffeine (M=27.7, SD=7.66), but it was not statistically significant, (31) = -0.567, p=.575.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Caffeine consumption was not associated with improved attentional performance, in this study because there was no noteworthy variation between the two groups. The results do not support the hypothesis because factors such as sleep, individual tolerance differences, and uncontrollable variables may have influenced the findings.