Cognitive Interference and Selective AttentionLOFINCT07598877
Effect of Instrumental Lo-Fi Music on Stroop Interference Performance in University Students
A study testing Instrumental Lo-Fi Music in people with Cognitive Interference and Selective Attention, run by Canadian University Dubai at 1 site in United Arab Emirates.
Trial summary
This study aims to examine the effects of instrumental lo-fi background music compared to silence on cognitive interference performance among university students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silent condition while completing a paper-based Stroop Color-Word task. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 24 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cognitive Interference and Selective Attention
- What is being tested?
- Instrumental Lo-Fi Music
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 72 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Arab Emirates
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 24 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- • Aged between 18 and 24 years (verified via self-report at screening)
- Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at Canadian University Dubai
- Self-reported proficiency in English sufficient to understand task instructions and perform colour-naming responses
- Self-reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision
- Self-reported normal hearing
Who cannot join
- • Any form of colour vision deficiency (e.g., red-green colour blindness)
- A diagnosis of a neurological or psychological condition known to affect cognitive performance (e.g., ADHD, major depressive disorder, or learning disabilities), based on self-report
- Current use of prescribed medication that may affect cognitive functioning, based on self-report
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Arab Emirates1 site
CUD
Dubai
Ethymios Papatzikis, Professor, +971 4 709 6000, E.Papatzikis@cud.ac.ae
About this study
Official title: Effects of Instrumental Lo-Fi Background Music Versus Silence on Cognitive Interference During the Stroop Colour-Word Task in University Students
This study aims to examine the effects of instrumental lo-fi background music compared to silence on cognitive interference performance among university students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silent condition while completing a paper-based Stroop Color-Word task. The main outcome will be the level of cognitive interference, measured by the number of correct responses during the interference condition. The study seeks to determine whether background music improves or impairs selective attention and cognitive control.
Read the detailed description
This study investigates the impact of instrumental lo-fi background music on cognitive interference during a Stroop Color-Word task in university students. A between-subjects experimental design will be used, where participants are randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silence control condition. All participants will complete three timed sections of the Stroop task: word reading, color naming, and color-word interference.
The Stroop interference score will be calculated based on the number of correct responses within a fixed time period. The study focuses on selective attention and cognitive control processes, examining whether background music facilitates or hinders performance.
Participants will be undergraduate students with normal or corrected vision and hearing. Standardized procedures will be followed to ensure consistency, including the use of headphones for all participants to control environmental conditions.
The findings of this study may contribute to understanding how environmental factors such as background music influence cognitive performance in academic settings.
- Being tested
- Instrumental Lo-Fi Music
- Keywords
- Stroop Task, Lo-fi Music, Cognitive Performance, Selective Attention, Background Music
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Instrumental Lo-Fi MusicBehavioural
Participants listen to instrumental lo-fi background music through headphones while completing the Stroop color-word task under controlled conditions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Lo-Fi Music | Experimental | Participants listen to instrumental lo-fi background music while performing the Stroop task. Receives: Behavioral: Instrumental Lo-Fi Music |
| Silence | No intervention | Participants perform the Stroop task in silence without any background music. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Stroop Interference Score
The Stroop interference score will be calculated as the difference between correct responses in the Color Naming and Color-Word Interference conditions. Higher scores indicate greater cognitive interference (poorer inhibitory control).
Measured: During task completion (single session; approximately 5-7 minutes), participants complete the Stroop Color-Word Task under their assigned condition.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 May 2026
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionNov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Cognitive Interference and Selective AttentionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silence condition during the Stroop task.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Canadian University Dubai
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Efthymios Papatzikis, PhD, Principal investigator, Canadian University DubaShahad Yousif, BSc Psychology, Study director, Canadian University Dubaifarah Mosalami, BSc Psychology, Study director, Canadian University Dubai
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07598877
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CUD-LO-FI -20
- Acronym
- LOFI
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 20 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Stroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of Interference in Serial Verbal Reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18(6), 643-662. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054651
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Instrumental Lo-Fi Background Music Versus Silence on Cognitive Interference During the Stroop Colour-Word Task in University Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07598877
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- LOFI / CUD-LO-FI -20
- Keywords
- Stroop Task, Lo-fi Music, Cognitive Performance, Selective Attention, Background Music
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Canadian University DubaiUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to examine the effects of instrumental lo-fi background music compared to silence on cognitive interference performance among university students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silent condition while completing a paper-based Stroop Color-Word task. The main outcome will be the level of cognitive interference, measured by the number of correct responses during the interference condition. The study seeks to determine whether background music improves or impairs selective attention and cognitive control.
Detailed description
This study investigates the impact of instrumental lo-fi background music on cognitive interference during a Stroop Color-Word task in university students. A between-subjects experimental design will be used, where participants are randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silence control condition. All participants will complete three timed sections of the Stroop task: word reading, color naming, and color-word interference.
The Stroop interference score will be calculated based on the number of correct responses within a fixed time period. The study focuses on selective attention and cognitive control processes, examining whether background music facilitates or hinders performance.
Participants will be undergraduate students with normal or corrected vision and hearing. Standardized procedures will be followed to ensure consistency, including the use of headphones for all participants to control environmental conditions.
The findings of this study may contribute to understanding how environmental factors such as background music influence cognitive performance in academic settings.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to either a lo-fi music condition or a silence condition during the Stroop task.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Lo-Fi Music | Experimental | Behavioral: Instrumental Lo-Fi MusicParticipants listen to instrumental lo-fi background music while performing the Stroop task. |
| Silence | No intervention | –Participants perform the Stroop task in silence without any background music. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 24 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- • Aged between 18 and 24 years (verified via self-report at screening)
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- • Any form of colour vision deficiency (e.g., red-green colour blindness)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Instrumental Lo-Fi MusicParticipants listen to instrumental lo-fi background music through headphones while completing the Stroop color-word task under controlled conditions. | Behavioural | Lo-Fi Music |
Primary outcome
Stroop Interference Score
Time frame: During task completion (single session; approximately 5-7 minutes), participants complete the Stroop Color-Word Task under their assigned condition.
The Stroop interference score will be calculated as the difference between correct responses in the Color Naming and Color-Word Interference conditions. Higher scores indicate greater cognitive interference (poorer inhibitory control).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 May 2026.
- Results publicationStroop, J. R. (1935). Studies of Interference in Serial Verbal Reactions. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18(6), 643-662. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054651
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Efthymios Papatzikis, PhD principal investigator
Canadian University Duba
Shahad Yousif, BSc Psychology study director
Canadian University Dubai
farah Mosalami, BSc Psychology study director
Canadian University Dubai
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Instrumental Lo-Fi Music in people with Cognitive Interference and Selective Attention, run by Canadian University Dubai at 1 site in United Arab Emirates.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Arab Emirates. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Efthymios Papatzikis, PhD (+971 4 709 6000, E.Papatzikis@cud.ac.ae), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Stroop Interference Score (time frame: During task completion (single session; approximately 5-7 minutes), participants complete the Stroop Color-Word Task under their assigned condition.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07598877, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 May 2026.