title: Behavioral comparisons of hyperactive and normally active children in natural settings.
abstract: Matched pairs of hyperactive and normally active children were observed in six natural classroom settings and a number of specific behaviors continuously recorded. Both groups of children showed differences in behavior as a function of settings (selected to vary in amount of external stimulation and structure), but only certain settings differentiated hyperactive from control children. Hyperactive children displayed significantly more noise-vocalization and more disruptive and off-task behavior in the most frequently observed (low stimulation) classroom settings (e.g., seat work). Type of off-task behavior (out-of-seat or visually off-task) depended upon amount of classroom structure (i.e., teacher- vs. self-directed). Results were discussed in terms of their implications for identification and treatment of hyperactive children through the modification of the antecedent conditions of stimulation and structure.
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D014705:Verbal Behavior