Abstract
The hypothesis that frontal lobe dysfunction is the source of problem behaviors for children with attention deficits has become more widely accepted. The problem behaviors, however, are not usually considered abnormal for younger children. The purpose of this research was to explore the likelihood that a delay in the development of the frontal lobes may be a basis for attention deficits in chiIdren. The sample consisted of 92 boys between the ages of 7 and 12 years who had been referred for assessment by teachers and/or parents because of suspected attentional difficulties. The children were divided into three age groups that were again divided according to the demonstrated ability to sustain attention on a laboratory instrument, the Continuous Performance Test. Additional measures used included parent and teacher behavior rating scales, measures of frontal lobe dysfunction, and motor/developmental measures. Performance was compared across ages, as well as between groups based on ability to attend. The Test of Memory and Learning was also administered to a subgroup of the sample (N=31) to examine the relationship between attention and verbal, nonverbal, and delayed recall. The ability to sustain attention on a laboratory measure varied greatly, particularly for the children in the 9-10-year-old group. Furthermore, little agreement was found between parent and teacher ratings of attention and impulsivity and performance on the laboratory measure. Results lend further support to the frontal lobe dysfunction hypothesis of attention deficits. Developmental trends, as well as group differences, were apparent for measures of frontal lobe dysfunction and measures of motor functioning. Although, no interaction between age and attentional ability was found for any measure, age had the greatest impact on performance of children identified as having the most difficulty sustaining attention. Evidence of a strong relationship between attentional ability and memory was also indicated...
Allen, Loretta Faye (1993). Developmental delay of frontal lobe functioning : a possible cause of attention deficits in children. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -1475947.