A Slippery Rock University student is exploring new ground and empowering those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through a faculty-led research project. Natalie Krulac, a senior recreational therapy major from McKees Rocks (Our Lady of the Sacred Heart HS), is studying the effects that students’ preferred music has on their focus and attention, examining potential coping strategies for those with ADHD and potentially decreasing excessive use of prescription drugs.
Krulac’s interest in research took root during a research-based course that she took with Betsy Kemeny, professor of recreational therapy. Krulac credits Kemeny as an important mentor in her time at SRU, supporting and encouraging her through her research.
“We learned so much about the importance of research in society,” Krulac said. “I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to research, so I investigated what was lacking in current literature.”
This led Krulac to discover a large body of research into non-pharmaceutical strategies to improve focus for individuals on the autism spectrum and to identify a dearth of research into the same approaches for individuals with ADHD.
During the fall 2025 semester, Krulac worked with Kemeny to conduct a study with SRU students who have ADHD and participants, in which the researchers measure how music improves students’ concentration on academic tasks.
“I was curious to see if music would help with focus,” Krulac said. “And what makes this important is that this coping mechanism has no side effects like medications do. My hope is that students, especially college students like the ones who participated in my study, will realize that they have options.”
“It has been the highlight of my career working with motivated students like Natalie who have helped establish the RT Faculty-Student Interventions Lab at SRU,” Kemeny said.
Krulac’s next phase for this research is seeing if specific genres of music have distinctive effects on focus, a line of inquiry that Krulac is interested in pursuing in the future.
Outside of her research, Krulac is also part of SRU’s Accelerated 3+3 program that provides pathways for undergraduate students to complete their degrees in three years and start taking master’s or doctoral-level courses in occupational therapy, physical therapy or physician assistant students, saving them time and money. Krulac plans to pursue her Doctor of Occupational Therapy at SRU.
“My experience at SRU so far has included a lot of hands-on experiences along with my research,” Krulac said. “I got to work with individuals with disabilities, and I was able to do interventions using music in other classes. I feel prepared for my next step and to maybe even get a Ph.D. in a research area in the future.”
More information about recreational therapy at SRU can be found on the program’s website. More information about the 3+3 program can be found on the SRU catalog here.
