Asymmetrical visual-spatial attention in college students diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.
OBJECTIVE
Research indicates that individuals with attention deficit disorder (ADD)/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may exhibit left-right asymmetric spatial attention, with deficient processing of stimuli in the left visual hemispace. However, there is controversy as to when this phenomenon can be observed.


BACKGROUND
People with ADD/ADHD do not have obvious spatial bias when performing everyday tasks. Visual cancellation tasks have demonstrated behavioral asymmetry in ADD/ADHD, but results have not been consistent across studies. Children and older adults with ADD or ADHD have been assessed, but previous studies of college students with ADD/ADHD are not available.


METHODS
We tested 24 students with ADD or ADHD and 24 control students on a verbal and nonverbal cancellation task.


RESULTS
The ADD/ADHD group made significantly more left-sided omission errors than controls on a letter cancellation task. This group difference was not observed for a shape cancellation task, however.


CONCLUSIONS
These results support possible left visual inattention in college students with ADD/ADHD. Studies of functional correlates of these attentional phenomena are needed.
Jones
Kelly E
KE
The Department of Psychology, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA, USA. kej29@drexel.edu
Craver-Lemley
Catherine
C
Barrett
Anna M
AM
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
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