Sustained attention in children diagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

This study examined differences in task automatization and ability to sustain attention in subjects with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and non-ADHD subjects. Differences in the propensity to shift from effortful processing to automatic processing between ADHD and non-ADHD subjects were studied using tasks representing two different types of target presentation, constant and variable mapping. Further, the possible differential effects of task mapping on the ADHD and non-ADHD subjects' ability to sustain attention over time were examined.; It was hypothesized that the non-ADHD subjects would exhibit a more efficient shift from effortful to automatic information processing. This change was expected to be reflected as increased overall accuracy of performance, increased target detection, and decreased impulsivity. Further, it was expected that decreased need for effortful processing would be reflected as increased resilience against detrimental effects of time on performance.; On a constantly mapped task sufficiently long to enable the processing shift, differences in the groups' ability to maintain performance over time were observed. On this task, only the attentiveness of the ADHD group deteriorated, whereas the non-ADHD subjects maintained a stable performance over time. On a variably mapped task of equal length on which the processing shift was not likely to occur, no difference in performance over time was observed. These results were interpreted to reflect differences in the groups' efficiency in shifting from an effortful mode of processing to an automatic mode. Thus, it was suggested that, contrary to the original hypothesis, the ADHD children did not exhibit a deficit in maintaining effortful processing over time, but rather were less efficient than their non-ADHD counterparts to make the shift from effortful to automatic processing.; Previous research results have suggested time-related deterioration in attentiveness to be most pronounced with young ADHD children. This study failed to uncover evidence for developmental differences within the diagnostic groups as had been suggested by earlier research (e.g., Seidel & Joschko, 1990). However, performance differences between age groups were found. Interestingly, the younger age group and the ADHD group exhibited a similar difficulty in making the processing shift from effortful to automatic processing. Thus, the results suggest that the information processing of the ADHD group resembles that of developmentally younger children.