A new Stroop-like measure of inhibitory function development: typical developmental trends.
BACKGROUND
Difficulties with inhibition are increasingly regarded as central to pathological behavioural and learning disorders in childhood. However, few measures are available to assist in the assessment of young children's inhibitory competence.


METHODS
A new, Stroop-like measure of inhibitory function is described which was designed to be appropriate for use with children from 3 years of age. One hundred and fifty-five school children aged between 3 and 16 years took part in a study to examine the developmental characteristics and behavioural correlates of task performance.


RESULTS
The task appears to provide a robust measure of inhibitory function across the age range, 3 to 16 years. Furthermore, the animal-stroop task appears to identify those at risk of hyperactive symptomatology within a school-based sample.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical and developmental applications of this new measure are discussed.
Wright
Ingram
I
Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Leeds, UK. i.wright@sheffield.ac.uk
Waterman
Mitch
M
Prescott
Helen
H
Murdoch-Eaton
Debbie
D
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D011930:Reaction Time; D012720:Severity of Illness Index