ABSTRACT
This study examines the ability of a new visual vigilance task, the Preschool Vigilance Task (PVT), to differentiate between hyperactive and control preschoolers. The PVT was designed to be an objective measure of attention specifically for use with the preschool-age population. Hyperactive and control preschoolers were tested on the PVT and the Continuous Performance Task (CPT). Results indicated that both were useful in differentiating between hyperactive and control preschoolers. Implications for the utility of the PVT and future research directions are discussed.
Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/diagnosis , Attention , Microcomputers , Personality Assessment , Psychological Tests , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Pattern Recognition, Visual , Personality Assessment/statistics & numerical data , Psychological Tests/statistics & numerical data , Psychometrics , Psychomotor Performance , Reaction TimeSubject(s)
Attitude , Child Behavior , Infant, Premature/psychology , Prejudice , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , MaleABSTRACT
Stimulant medications have been demonstrated to be useful in treating groups of children with attention deficit disorders, but placebo effects and situational differences in behavior in individual cases need to be followed and assessed. A simple procedure for systematically assessing these factors in the individual child in the office setting is described and illustrated. The procedure provides an objective means of determining the drug and placebo effects on the reported problem behavior and the differences between parent and teacher perceptions of the behavior.
Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/drug therapy , Methylphenidate/therapeutic use , Ambulatory Care , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Child , Humans , Male , Office Visits , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
A total of 985 third through sixth grade children participated in the development of a 48-item Locus of Control Scale for Children's Perceptions of Social Interactions (LOC-CPSI). Scores are based on the number of positive, negative, and total social reinforcers a child attributes to his or her own behavior (internal control). A social desirability subscale is included. Reliability coefficients were comparable to or greater than those of existing locus of control measures. Convergent validity was demonstrated by low, significant correlations with other locus of control measures. Internal scores correlated significantly with sociometric measures of popularity and predicted peer status better than other locus of control measures. Theoretical implications and potential clinical application are discussed.
ABSTRACT
The effects of school-induced success and failure experiences on the probability-learning performances of retarded children were investigated. In previous laboratory research, the hypotheses has been suggested that failure experiences would lead to greater maximization, less patterning, and less shifting of responses than success experiences. Fifteen retarded children exposed to repeated failure in the classroom, 15 retarded children exposed to a relatively high level of success in special-education classes, and 15 nonretarded children served as subjects. All subjects were matched for MA. The hypothesis suggesting that the laboratory findings generalized to the classroom was confirmed. In addition, it was found that locus of control and need for achievement were significant correlates of probability-learning performance. However, only locus of control differentiated the subject groups.
