Auditory and Visual Continuous Performance Tests

Abstract

Elementary school children in three grade groups (Grades K/1, 3, and 5/6) completed either the auditory or the visual 1/9 vigilance task from the Gordon Diagnostic System (GDS) as well as subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition and auditory or visual processing subtests from the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability–Revised (WJ-R). Teachers rated the children's classroom attentional and self-control behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Self-Control Observation Scale (SCOS). Although performance on both auditory and visual continuous performance tests (CPTs) improved with age, gender effects were small and limited to the visual CPT. Neither auditory nor visual CPT scores were related to IQ scores. However, auditory CPT scores were related to classroom behaviors as reported by teachers whereas visual CPT scores were related to visual processing.