Evaluation of Visual Attention Components in a Group of Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which is widely seen in school age children and adolescents. ADHD is seen in boys 2-10 times more frequent than girls. Attention processes are carried out by the neural network system which different brain regions form intense interconnections between them. Children with ADHD may have some difficulties in selective attention, sustained attention and visual-spatial attention functionality, which is one of the visual attention components. The purpose of this study was to investigate the selective attention, sustained attention and visual-spatial functions in boys with ADHD diagnosis. Methods: The study sample included 80 boys, age range: 6-10 years, who met the DSM-V criteria for ADHD and consecutively referred to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Psychiatry Department and Child Neurology Department of Gazi University. As a control group, 73 healty boys included the study. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised Form (WISC-R) as administered to exclude comorbid diagnoses. Visual selective attention and sustained attention were measured with Cancellation Test (CT) and Raven Standard Progressive Matrices Test (RSPM), while visual spatial attention was measured with the Line Orientation Test (LOT). Results: Patients with ADHD were defined as, 33 attention deficit, 24 hyperactivity-impulsivity, 23 combined type. In terms of age; there was no significant difference between the diagnostic group (7.89 +/- 1.33 years) and the control group (8.14 +/- 1.44 years) (p>.05). Children in the control group scored higher in all tests including at WISC-R, RSPM, CT and LOT tests than ADHD groups (p<.05). Conclusion: Selective attention, sustained attention and visual-spatial attention functionality, which is one of the visual attention components, is affected in children with ADHD according to their healthy peers. Therefore, neuropsychological tests should be used to improve the quality of life and to evaluate the treatment follow-up in patients with ADHD.