Attention and response control in ADHD: Evaluation through Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test

Abstract

This study assesses attention and response control through visual and auditory stimuli in a primary care pediatric sample. The sample consisted of 191 participants aged between 7 and 13 years old. It was divided into 2 groups: (a) 90 children with ADHD, according to diagnostic (DSM-IV-TR) (APA, 2002) and clinical (ADHD Rating Scale-IV) (DuPaul, Power, Anastopoulos, & Reid, 1998) criteria, and (b) 101 children without a history of ADHD. The aims were: (a) to determine and compare the performance of both groups in attention and response control, (b) to identify attention and response control deficits in the ADHD group. Assessments were carried out using the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA/CPT, Sandford & Turner, 2002). Results showed that the ADHD group had visual and auditory attention deficits, F(3, 170) = 14.38; p < .01, deficits in fine motor regulation (Welch´s t-test = 44.768; p < .001) and sensory/motor activity (Welch’st-test = 95.683, p < .001; Welch’s t-test = 79.537, p < .001). Both groups exhibited a similar performance in response control, F(3, 170) = .93, p = .43.Children with ADHD showed inattention, mental processing speed deficits, and loss of concentration with visual stimuli. Both groups yielded a better performance in attention with auditory stimuli.

Este trabajo evalúa atención y control conductual ante estímulos visuales y auditivos en menores procedentes de Pediatría en Atención Primaria. Han participado 191 niños (7 -13 años) que integran dos grupos: a) 90 niños cumplen criterios diagnósticos (DSM-IV-TR) (APA, 2002) y clínicos (ADHD Rating Scale-IV) (DuPaul, Power, Anastopoulos & Reid, 1998) de TDAH y b) 101 menores sin historia del trastorno. Se ha empleado el Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA/CPT) (Sandford y Turner, 2002). Objetivos: a) Determinar y comparar la ejecución de los grupos en ámbitos relacionados con atención y control conductual e b) Identificar déficits atencionales y conductuales en niños con TDAH. El grupo TDAH presenta déficits atencionales visuales, auditivos (F (3. 170) = 14.38; p < .01), en motricidad fina (T de Welch = 44.768; p < .001) y en el área sensorio-motor (T de Welch = 95.683; p < .001; T de Welch = 79.537; p < .001). Ambos grupos resultan similares en control conductual ante estímulos visuales y auditivos (F (3. 170) = .93, p = .43). Se concluye que los niños con TDAH tienen problemas de inatención, procesamiento mental y distracción ante estímulos visuales. Ambos grupos prestan más atención a estímulos auditivos.