title: Sustained attention in children with autism.
abstract: Although many children with early infantile autism cannot maintain attention to externally imposed tasks, they may continue a repetitive behavior of their own choosing for long periods of time. This study examined the performance of autistic and mental age matched normal children on a Continuous Performance Test of sustained attention. Results suggest that autistic children's difficulties in sustaining attention on imposed tasks may be attributable partly to a developmental delay and partly to the motivational contingencies of task rather than to a primary impairment in the ability to sustain attention.
authors.affiliation: Hillcrest Educational Center, Pittsfield, Massachusetts 01201.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Garretson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fein
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Waterhouse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance