Impulsive children more vulnerable to classroom noise, study finds

‘Less focused’ children will face ‘a downward spiral’ if classroom noise is not controlled, Lamiat Sabin reports

A total of 350 children aged seven to 11 were involved in the study (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Children who find it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork are “more annoyed and easily distracted” by noise in the classroom compared to their less-impulsive peers, according to a new study.

The finding by researchers at the University of Portsmouth contradicts previous assumptions that pupils who are less focused do not care about, or are not affected by, other distractions.

A total of 350 children aged between seven and 11 were involved in the study to gauge how they had been impacted by noise in the classroom.