Estudio del desempeño atencional en niños en aulas con diferentes acondicionamientos lumínicos / Study of attentional performance in children in classrooms with different lighting conditions

Resumen La iluminación es una de las características físicas más críticas en un espacio de aprendizaje. El objetivo del presente trabajo es evaluar mediante dos instancias experimentales el desempeño atencional en una tarea de detección de detalles monocromáticos en aulas bajo diferentes condiciones de iluminación, contemplando las variables de temperatura de color correlacionada (TCC: 6500 ºK - 4000 ºK) e iluminancia horizontal (Eh: 300 lx - 500 lx). El diseño experimental empleado fue un experimento intra-sujetos y la muestra estuvo compuesta por 34 alumnos entre 8 y 9 años. Se administró el Test CARAS-R para evaluar eficacia (EA), eficiencia (FA) y rendimiento atencional (RA). Los resultados evidencian diferencias en la FA (Z= -2.470; p= .013) y RA (Z= -2.385; p= 0.16) de los niños, según las condiciones de TCC. No se registraron diferencias en atención en función de Eh. Promover diseños de acondicionamientos lumínicos eficientes en las aulas es un modo de favorecer el desempeño cognitivo de sus ocupantes.

Abstract Lighting is one of the most critical physical characteristics in a learning space. This paper aims to evaluate by two experimental instances attentional performance in a detection task related to monochrome details in classrooms under different lighting conditions, considering correlated color temperature variables (CCT: 6500 ° K - 4000 ° K) and horizontal illuminance (Ehor: 300 lx - 500 lx). The experimental design was a within-subject design experiment and the sample consisted of 34 students between 8 and 9 years old. CARAS-R Test was administered to assess efficacy (EA), efficiency (FA) and attentional performance. In attentional efficiency (Z = 2470, p = .013) and attentional performance (Z = 2385, p = 0.16) of children, significant differences in the conditions of CCT were observed. No differences in Ehor occurred. It was found that providing efficient lighting designs in the classroom may promote its occupants cognitive performance.

Neonatal intensive care unit lighting: update and recommendations. / Iluminación en unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales: actualización y recomendaciones.

Achieving adequate lighting in neonatal intensive care units is a major challenge: in addition to the usual considerations of visual performance, cost, energy and aesthetics, there appear different biological needs of patients, health care providers and family members. Communicational aspects of light, its role as a facilitator of the visual function of doctors and nurses, and its effects on the newborn infant physiology and development were addressed in order to review the effects of light (natural and artificial) within neonatal care with a focus on development. The role of light in regulating the newborn infant circadian cycle in particular and the therapeutic use of light in general were also reviewed. For each aspect, practical recommendations were specified for a proper well-lit environment in neonatal intensive care units.

Lograr una iluminación adecuada en las unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales es un gran desafío: además de las consideraciones habituales de rendimiento visual, costo, energía y estética, aparecen las diferentes necesidades biológicas de los pacientes, profesionales y familiares. Con el objetivo de revisar los efectos de la luz (natural y artificial) en el marco del cuidado neonatal centrado en el desarrollo, se abordaron los aspectos comunicacionales de la luz, su rol como facilitador de la función visual de los profesionales y sus efectos sobre la fisiología y el desarrollo del neonato. También se revisó el papel de la luz en la regulación del ciclo circadiano del neonato en particular y el uso terapéutico de la luz en general. Para cada aspecto, se especificaron recomendaciones prácticas para lograr un ambiente luminoso adecuado en las unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatales.

Evaluación del desempeño atencional en niños: Eficacia, eficiencia y rendimiento / Attentional performance assessment in children: Effectiveness, efficiency and yield

En el ámbito educativo, las conductas problemas y los desórdenes atencionales son factores de riesgo que afectan el rendimiento académico y social del niño. La importancia del desarrollo de los procesos de aprendizaje genera la necesidad de evaluar las habilidades atencionales de los niños en el ámbito educativo con instrumentos válidos, confiables y adaptados a la población escolar. Desde la Neuropsicología del Desarrollo se proponen nuevos indicadores para la evaluación atencional a través del Test CARAS denominados: eficiencia atencional y rendimiento atencional. Esta prueba es utilizada para evaluar la atención focalizada y sostenida y la aptitud para percibir, rápida y correctamente, semejanzas, diferencias y patrones estimulantes parcialmente ordenados. Las expresiones matemáticas derivadas de los indicadores propuestos surgen de la revisión cronológica de los avances producidos en este instrumento de evaluación y la necesidad de conocer con mayor precisión las capacidades de los sujetos evaluados. Los indicadores propuestos han evidenciado en la prueba piloto con 48 sujetos una mayor representatividad de las habilidades atencionales y sus fluctuaciones, a partir del estudio de éstas en diferentes tiempos de evaluación. El trabajo que se informa permite introducir el término desempeño atencional como resultante de integrar los conceptos de eficacia atencional (EA), eficiencia atencional (FA) y rendimiento atencional (RA) en tareas de búsqueda visual. Con este tipo de estudio se pretende brindar una modalidad de análisis que contemple los diferentes aspectos que intervienen en tareas de búsqueda visual utilizadas para evaluar el desempeño atencional.

In the educational field the behavior problems and attentional disorders are risk factors, which affect the academic performance of the child. In the teaching-learning process, a child uses different forms of attention. In one task, the child selects relevant information and inhibits the others. Perhaps, should divide his attention and switch his focus of attention between two or more sources of information, holding -intentionally- these activities for a specified time. The importance of the development of learning processes requires the evaluation of the children's attentional abilities in the educational field as valid and reliable instruments adapted to the school population. This work, focused from the Development Neuropsychology approach, proposes two new indices called attentional efficiency and attentional yield for the evaluation of attention through the Perception of Differences Test - CARAS. As a main feature, the CARAS, has 60 blocks stimuli each composed of three schematic drawings of faces (with elementary strokes representing the mouth, eyes, eyebrows and hair), one of which is different. The task is to determine the different side and cross it off. These proposed indicators arise with new modes of administration of the Test CARAS and the need for greater accuracy in evaluating attentional. Attentional efficiency is defined (AF) as the cognitive ability to regulate and optimize the attentional mechanism to select and maintain attention for an extended period of time, using minimal resources of time available. Moreover, attentional yield (AY) is the product resulting from the level of effectiveness and efficiency obtained in selection and sustained attentional task. Mathematical expressions derived from the proposed indicators, arising from the chronological review of developments since the original technique to methods and scores currently used today. We believe that the progress made in this work have enriched the analysis in the evaluation of attention and use of the CARAS Test. Although, attentional efficiency, produced advances in the interpretation of the results, new developments in the application of the test methods, that is, analyzing the execution after 3 minutes, have proposed new challenges. Currently with these contributions not only have the chance to meet attentional efficacy (AE) in a period of focused attention mainly, but also its attentional efficiency (AF) and attentional yield (AY) in periods of sustained attention (after three minutes until completion of the task). The proposed indicators have been evident in the pilot test with 48 children greater representation of attentional skills and fluctuations, from the study of different evaluation times. The pilot test was conducted in the institution primary school, located in the city of Mendoza (Argentina). This paper presents the limitation of being a pilot study on a small sample of students. However, it served to apply in real cases the proposed concepts. These results come from children in urban public schools so the interpretation of the results must be contextualized. It must also recognize the importance of further assessments for adequate attentional diagnosis. Currently being developed complementary to regional scale attentional efficacy (AE) with attentional efficiency indicators (AF) and attentional yield (AY) from a random sample of 5000 students in first through seventh grade belonging to marginal - urban and urban primary schools state of Mendoza. This work allows introducing the term attentional performance as the result of integrating the concepts of attentional efficiency (AE), attentional efficiency (AF) and attentional yield (AY) in visual search tasks. With this type of study is to provide a form of analysis, which considers the different aspects involved in visual search tasks used to assess attentional performance.

Evaluación del desempeño atencional en niños: Eficacia, eficiencia y rendimiento / Attentional performance assessment in children: Effectiveness, efficiency and yield

En el ámbito educativo, las conductas problemas y los desórdenes atencionales son factores de riesgo que afectan el rendimiento académico y social del niño. La importancia del desarrollo de los procesos de aprendizaje genera la necesidad de evaluar las habilidades atencionales de los niños en el ámbito educativo con instrumentos válidos, confiables y adaptados a la población escolar. Desde la Neuropsicología del Desarrollo se proponen nuevos indicadores para la evaluación atencional a través del Test CARAS denominados: eficiencia atencional y rendimiento atencional. Esta prueba es utilizada para evaluar la atención focalizada y sostenida y la aptitud para percibir, rápida y correctamente, semejanzas, diferencias y patrones estimulantes parcialmente ordenados. Las expresiones matemáticas derivadas de los indicadores propuestos surgen de la revisión cronológica de los avances producidos en este instrumento de evaluación y la necesidad de conocer con mayor precisión las capacidades de los sujetos evaluados. Los indicadores propuestos han evidenciado en la prueba piloto con 48 sujetos una mayor representatividad de las habilidades atencionales y sus fluctuaciones, a partir del estudio de éstas en diferentes tiempos de evaluación. El trabajo que se informa permite introducir el término desempeño atencional como resultante de integrar los conceptos de eficacia atencional (EA), eficiencia atencional (FA) y rendimiento atencional (RA) en tareas de búsqueda visual. Con este tipo de estudio se pretende brindar una modalidad de análisis que contemple los diferentes aspectos que intervienen en tareas de búsqueda visual utilizadas para evaluar el desempeño atencional.(AU)

In the educational field the behavior problems and attentional disorders are risk factors, which affect the academic performance of the child. In the teaching-learning process, a child uses different forms of attention. In one task, the child selects relevant information and inhibits the others. Perhaps, should divide his attention and switch his focus of attention between two or more sources of information, holding -intentionally- these activities for a specified time. The importance of the development of learning processes requires the evaluation of the childrens attentional abilities in the educational field as valid and reliable instruments adapted to the school population. This work, focused from the Development Neuropsychology approach, proposes two new indices called attentional efficiency and attentional yield for the evaluation of attention through the Perception of Differences Test - CARAS. As a main feature, the CARAS, has 60 blocks stimuli each composed of three schematic drawings of faces (with elementary strokes representing the mouth, eyes, eyebrows and hair), one of which is different. The task is to determine the different side and cross it off. These proposed indicators arise with new modes of administration of the Test CARAS and the need for greater accuracy in evaluating attentional. Attentional efficiency is defined (AF) as the cognitive ability to regulate and optimize the attentional mechanism to select and maintain attention for an extended period of time, using minimal resources of time available. Moreover, attentional yield (AY) is the product resulting from the level of effectiveness and efficiency obtained in selection and sustained attentional task. Mathematical expressions derived from the proposed indicators, arising from the chronological review of developments since the original technique to methods and scores currently used today. We believe that the progress made in this work have enriched the analysis in the evaluation of attention and use of the CARAS Test. Although, attentional efficiency, produced advances in the interpretation of the results, new developments in the application of the test methods, that is, analyzing the execution after 3 minutes, have proposed new challenges. Currently with these contributions not only have the chance to meet attentional efficacy (AE) in a period of focused attention mainly, but also its attentional efficiency (AF) and attentional yield (AY) in periods of sustained attention (after three minutes until completion of the task). The proposed indicators have been evident in the pilot test with 48 children greater representation of attentional skills and fluctuations, from the study of different evaluation times. The pilot test was conducted in the institution primary school, located in the city of Mendoza (Argentina). This paper presents the limitation of being a pilot study on a small sample of students. However, it served to apply in real cases the proposed concepts. These results come from children in urban public schools so the interpretation of the results must be contextualized. It must also recognize the importance of further assessments for adequate attentional diagnosis. Currently being developed complementary to regional scale attentional efficacy (AE) with attentional efficiency indicators (AF) and attentional yield (AY) from a random sample of 5000 students in first through seventh grade belonging to marginal - urban and urban primary schools state of Mendoza. This work allows introducing the term attentional performance as the result of integrating the concepts of attentional efficiency (AE), attentional efficiency (AF) and attentional yield (AY) in visual search tasks. With this type of study is to provide a form of analysis, which considers the different aspects involved in visual search tasks used to assess attentional performance.(AU)