Lawrence M. Greenberg

Reaction Time and Effect of Ritalin on Children with Learning Problems

In Exp. I, 22 poor readers and 22 normal readers of elementary-school age were matched on age, IQ, and sex and tested with a visual reaction-time task requiring same-different judgments. On initial trials poor readers were slower than normal readers. In addition, the performance of poor readers deteriorated faster than that of normal readers as testing progressed. In Exp. II, 20 hyperactive boys taking methylphenidate medication, 19 hyperactive boys whose medication was temporarily discontinued, and 19 normal boys were tested. Reaction time on early trials was not significantly different for boys in the on-medication and off-medication groups; however, both hyperactive groups were slower than the normal group. As testing progressed, reaction times of normal boys and boys taking medication remained fairly stable, while the performance of hyperactive boys not taking medication declined. The significance of these results to reading and spelling is discussed.

Relations between Teachers' Ratings of Abnormal Motor Behavior in Poor Readers and Performance on a Reaction-Time Test1

Poor readers, 7 to 12 years old with normal intelligence, were rated by their teachers on a fifteen-item inventory of abnormal motor behavior. Three rotated factors, obtained from factor analysis of the ratings, were interpreted as an Activity-Level Factor, an Attention-Span Factor, and a Motor-Coordination Factor. The children had previously been given a reaction-time test. Reaction-times, which were unusually slow for the poor readers, were significantly correlated with scores on the Motor-Coordination Factor. Reminiscence scores from the reaction-time test, which were unusually large for the poor readers, were significantly correlated with scores on the Attention-Span Factor. Neither reaction-time nor reminiscence scores were related to the Activity-Level Factor. An interpretation of “hyperactivity,” and an explanation of the high incidence of motor-coordination problems in poor readers are proposed.

A standardized problem retrieval system (SPRS) for use in clinical and research settings.

A standardized problem list for clinical and research use in child psychiatry is described, which can be employed in a computerized data retrieval system and which provides for great flexibility, both in terms of its use and in its amenability to modification and expansion.