Abstract
The study investigated whether hyperactive children were more suceptible to appealing distractors than were normal children. Twenty hyperactive and 20 normal children performed arithmetic tasks under three levels of distraction: no distraction, low-appeal distraction, and high-appeal distraction. Hyperactive children were significantly more affected by both low- and high appeal distractors than were the normal children.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatrie Association.Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C., 1980.
Bateman, B. D. Educational implications of minimal brain dysfunction. In F. F. de la Cruz, B. H. Fox, & R. H. Roberts (Eds.),Minimal brain dysfunction. New York: New York Academy of Sciences, 1973.
Bremer, D. A., & Stern, J. A. Attention and distractibility during reading in hyperactive boys.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1976,4, 381–387.
Campbell, S. B., Douglas, V. I., & Morgenstern, G. Cognitive styles in hyperactive children and the effect of methylphenidate.Child Psychology, 1971,12, 55–67.
Carter, J. L., & Diaz, A. Effects of visual and auditory background on reading test performance.Exceptional Children, 1971,38, 43–50.
Conners, C. K. A teacher rating scale for use in drug studies with children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1969,126, 884–888.
Cruickshank, W. M., Bentzen, F. A., Ratzburg, F. H., & Tannhauser, M. T.A teaching method for brain injured and hyperactive children: A demonstration pilot study. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1961.
Cruickshank, W. M., Junkala, J. B., & Paul, J. L.The preparation of teachers of brain injured children. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1968.
Douglas, V. I. Stop, look and listen: the problem of sustained attention and impulse control in hyperactive and normal children.Canadian Journal of Behavioral Science, 1972,4, 259–282.
Dykman, R., Walls, R. C., Suzuki, T., Ackerman, P. T., & Peters, J. E. Children with learning disabilities: Condition differentiation and the effect of distraction.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1970,40, 766–782.
Hallahan, D. P., & Kaufman, J. M.Introduction to learning disabilities. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1976.
Jastak, J. F. & Jastak, S. R.The Wide Range Achievement Test, Revised edition. Wilmington, Del: Wilmington Guidance Associates, 1965.
Johnson, C. F., & Prinz, R. Hyperactivity is in the eyes of the beholder.Clinical Pediatrics, 1976,15, 222–238.
Klein, D. F., & Gittelman-Klein, R. Problems in the diagnosis of minimal brain dysfunction and hyperkinetic syndrome.International Journal of Mental Health, 1975,4, 45–60.
Patterson, G. R. An application of conditioning techniques to the control of a hyperactive child. In L. P. Ullmann & L. Krasner (Eds.),Case studies in behavior modification New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1965.
Radosh, A.The effects of visual distractors on the performance of hyperactive children on an arithmetic task. Unpublished doctoral disseration, City University of New York, 1980.
Rost, K. F., & Charles, Q. C. Academic achievement of brain injured and hyperactive children in isolation.Exceptional Children, 1967,34, 125–126.
Somerville, J. W., Warnberg, L. S., & Bost, D. E. Effects of cubicles versus increased stimulation on task performance by first grade males perceived as distractible or nondistractibleJournal of Special Education, 1973,7, 169–185.
Strauss, A. A. Typology in mental deficiency.Proceedings of the American Association of Mental Deficiency, 1939,44, 84–90.
Strauss, A. A., & Lehtinen, L.Psychopathology and education of the brain-injured child. New York: Grune and Stratton, 1947.
Strauss, A. A., & Werner, J. Comparative psychopathology of the brain-injured child and the traumatic brain-injured adult.American Journal of Psychiatry, 1943,99, 835–838.
Sykes, D. H., Douglas, V. I., Weiss, G., & Minde, K. K. Attention in hyperactive children and the effect of methylphenidate.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1971,12, 129–139.
Wechsler, D.Wechsler intelligence scale for children — revised. New York: Psychological Corporation, 1974.
Zentall, S. S., Zentall, T. R., & Barack, R. R. Distraction as a function of within-task stimulation for hyperactive and normal children.Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1978,11, 13–21.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This report is based upon a dissertation submitted by A. Radosh in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. degree. The valuable contributions of Dr. Tina Moreau and Dr. Daniel Caputo are gratefully acknowledged. The study was supported in part by NIMH grant MH 18579.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Radosh, A., Gittelman, R. The effect of appealing distractors on the performance of hyperactive children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 9, 179–189 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00919113
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00919113