Abstract
An experiment was conducted to compare the performance of ADHD and non-ADHD (control) children in a vigilance task. A group of 24 Chinese children with ADHD was identified by their high scores (i.e., 2 SD above mean) on the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS). The children were given a computerized Continuous Performance Test—Auditory (CPT-A) whereby English letters of the alphabet were presented in audio mode (through a speaker) rather than in visual mode (on a monitor screen). Performances of the ADHD children on CPT-A were compared with a group of normal peers matched on sex, nonverbal IQ, and school performances. The effects of the event rate (fast vs. slow) and extra-task stimulation (Pic vs. No-pic) displayed on a computer screen were investigated. Performance on the CPT-A was analyzed in terms of error rates (commission and omission errors) and reaction time. It was found that children with ADHD generally performed worse than normal children in that the former made more commission errors and had longer reaction times. However, ADHD children's performance tended to “normalize” when extra-task stimulation was available, especially in conditions of the slow event rate. These results are discussed in the light of optimal stimulation theory and the information processing model of cognitive functioning of hyperactivity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Abikoff, H., Courtney, M. E., Szeibel, P. J., and Koplewicz, H. S. (1996). The effects of auditory stimulation on the arithmetic performance of children with ADHD and nondisabled children. J. Learn. Disabil.29: 238-246.
Barkley, R. A. (1997). Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and excutive functions: Constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol. Bull.121: 65-94.
Belfiore, P. J., Grskovic, J. A., Murphy, A. M., and Zentall, S. S. (1996). The effects of antecedent colour on reading for students with learning disabilities and co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J. Learn. Disabil.29: 432-438.
Cohen, J., MacWhinney, B., Flatt, M., and Provost, J. (1993). PsyScope: An interactive graphic system for designing and controlling experiments in the psychology laboratory using Macintosh computers. Behav. Res. Meth. Instruments Computers25: 257-271.
Conners, C. K. (1973). Rating scales in drug studies with children. Psychopharmacology Bulletin(Special issue: Pharmacotherapy of Children), 21: 24-29.
Douglas, V. I. (1983). Attentional and cognitive problems. In Rutter, M. (ed.), Developmental NeuropsychiatryChurchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, pp. 280-329.
Douglas, V. I. (1988). Cognitive deficits in children with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.Monograph Supplement: 65-81.
Douglas, V. I., and Peters, K. G. (1979). Toward a clearer definition of the attentional deficit of hyperactive children. In Hale, G. A. and Lewis, M. (eds.), Attention and the Development of Cognitive SkillsPlenum, New York, pp. 173-247.
Hong Kong Education Department (1986). Hong Kong supplement to Guide to Standard Progressive Matrices.Special Education Services, Education Research Unit, Education Department of Hong Kong.
Leung, P. W. L., and Connolly, K. J. (1996). Distractibility in hyperactive and conductdisordered children. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.37: 305-312.
Luk, S. L., and Leung, P. W. L. (1989). Conners' Teachers' Rating Scale—A validation study in Hong Kong. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.30: 785-793.
Luk, S. L., Leung, P. W. L., and Lee, P. L. M. (1988). Normative data of Conners' Teacher Rating Scale in Chinese children in Hong Kong. Journal of the Hong Kong Psychiatric Association8: 41-44.
Ravens, J. C. (1958). The Standard Progressive Matrices.University Press, Cambridge.
Sandberg, S. T., Rutter, M., and Taylor, E. (1978). Hyperkinetic disorder in psychiatric clinic attenders. Dev. Med. Child Neurol.20: 279-299.
Sanders, A. F. (1983). Towards a model of stress and human performance. Acta Psychologica.53: 61-97.
Sergeant, J., and Scholten, C. A. (1983). A stages-of-information approach to hyperactivity. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.24: 49-60.
Sergeant, J., and Scholten, C. A. (1985a). On data limitations in hyperactivity. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.26: 111-124.
Sergeant, J., and Scholten, C. A. (1985b). On resource strategy limitations in hyperactivity: cognitive impulsivity reconsidered. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.26: 97-109.
Sergeant, J., and van der Meere, J. (1989). The diagnostic significance of attentional processing: Its significance for ADDH classification—a future DSM. In Sagvolden, T., and Archer, T. (eds.), Attention Deficit DisorderHillsdale, NJ, Erlbaum, pp. 151-166.
Sternberg, S. (1969). The discovery of processing stages: extensions of Donders' method. In Koster, W. G. (ed.), Attention and Performance IINorth-Holland Publishing Co, Amsterdam, pp. 276-315.
Swanson, J., Castellanos, F. X., Murias, M., LaHoste, G., and Kennedy, J. (1998). Cognitive neuroscience of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and hyperkinetic disorder. Current Opinion in Neuropsychology8: 263-271.
Swanson, J. M., Sergeant, J. A., Taylor, E., Sonuga-Barke, E. J. S., Jensen, P. S., and Cantwell, D. P. (1998). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and hyperkinetic disorder. Lancet351: 429-433.
van der Meere, J., and Sergeant, J. (1987). A divided attention experiment with pervasively hyperactive children. J. Abnormal Child Psychol.15: 379-392.
van der Meere, J., and Sergeant, J. (1988a). Focussed attention in pervasively hyperactive children. J. Abnormal Child Psychol.16: 627-639.
van der Meere, J., and Sergeant, J. (1988b). Controlled processing and vigilance in hyperactivity: Time will tell. J. Abnormal Child Psychol.16: 641-655.
van der Meere, J., and Sergeant, J. (1988c). Acquisition of attention skill in pervasively hyperactive children. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.29: 301-310.
van der Meere, J., Van Baal, M., and Sergeant, J. (1989). The additive factor method: a differential diagnostic tool in hyperactivity and learning disability. J. Abnormal Child Psychol.17: 409-422.
van der Meere, J., Vreeling, H. J., and Sergeant, J. (1992). A motor presetting study in hyperactive, learning disabled and control children. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.33: 1347-1345.
van der Meere, J., Wekking, E., and Sergeant, J. (1991). Sustained attention and pervasive hyperactivity. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatr.32: 275-284.
Zentall, S. S. (1985). Stimulus-control factors in search performance of hyperactive children. J. Learn. Disabil.18: 480-485.
Zentall, S. S. (1986). Effects of color stimulation on performance and activity of hyperactive and nonhyperactive children. J. Educ. Psychol.78: 159-165.
Zentall, S. S., Falkenberg, S. D., and Smith, L. B. (1985). Effects of color stimulation and information on the copying performance of attention-problem adolescents. J. Abnormal Child Psychol.13: 501-511.
Zentall, S. S., and Kruczek, T. (1988). The attraction of color for active attention-problem children. Exceptional Children54: 357-362.
Zentall, S. S., and Meyer, M. J. (1987). Self-regulation of stimulation for ADD-H children during reading and vigilance task performance. J. Abnormal Child Psychol.15: 519-536.
Zentall, S. S., and Zentall, T. R. (1983). Optimal stimulation: a model of disordered activity and performance in normal and deviant children. Psychological Bulletin94: 446-471.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leung, JP., Leung, P.W.L. & Tang, C.S.K. A Vigilance Study of ADHD and Control Children: Event Rate and Extra-Task Stimulation. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities 12, 187–201 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009409720485
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009409720485