title: Reaction Time and Attention: Toward a New Standard in the Assessment of ADHD? A Pilot Study.
abstract: This pilot study shows results of an experiment comparing reaction times (RTs) and attentional performance between an ADHD group of 30 children and 30 controls, both Spanish speaking. The experiment was carried out using the Seville computerized neuropsychological battery (SNB).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study had two goals: One was to test sensitivity of SNB for attention deficits in ADHD and the second was to detect differences in RTs between ADHD and controls. Possible explanations and implications of such differences are also discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  SNB computerized system was used to assess RTs and accuracy, and alternate forms of continuous performance task were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed high sensitivity of some of the SNB tests, especially cancellation tests. RTs were significantly different between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SNB represents a helpful tool for detection of attention deficits, and RT indices represent the most significant variable in differentiation of both groups studied.
authors.affiliation: University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain gabriel.delatorre@uca.es.
authors.forename: Gabriel G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: De la Torre
authors.affiliation: University of Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Barroso
authors.affiliation: University of Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: León-Carrión
authors.affiliation: University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mestre
authors.affiliation: University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Rocío Guil
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bozal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors