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The mediating effect of age on the relationship between child behavior checklist hyperactivity scores and neuropsychological test performance

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology volume 16, pages 89–95 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

The relationship between hyperactivity and neuropsychological test performance at different age levels was examined. It was found that for young children (6 to 8 years of age, n=90), there was no significant association between hyperactivity/attentional problems (as measured by the Hyperactivity scale of the Child Behavior Checklist) and performance on neuropsychological tasks thought to contain an attentional component (WISC-R Coding, Arithmetic, and Digit Span; WRAT Arithmetic; and the Benton Visual Retention Test). However, for older children (9 to 12 years of age, n=92), there were significant and large negative correlations between CBC Hyperactivity scores and Coding, WRAT Arithmetic, and Benton VRT scores. Multiple regression analyses supported the above results (for Coding and WRAT Arithmetic), indicating that hyperactivity/inattention has a particularly deleterious effect on test performance (relative to sameage peers) as age increases.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 78713, Austin, Texas

    Paul J. Massman & Erin D. Bigler

  2. Austin Neurological Clinic, 711-F West 38th Street, 78705, Austin, Texas

    Paul J. Massman, Nancy L. Nussbaum & Erin D. Bigler

Authors
  1. Paul J. Massman
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  2. Nancy L. Nussbaum
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  3. Erin D. Bigler
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Massman, P.J., Nussbaum, N.L. & Bigler, E.D. The mediating effect of age on the relationship between child behavior checklist hyperactivity scores and neuropsychological test performance. J Abnorm Child Psychol 16, 89–95 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00910503

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00910503

Keywords

  • Regression Analysis
  • Young Child
  • Negative Correlation
  • Deleterious Effect
  • Multiple Regression Analysis