Literature Review: Visual Search by Children With and Without ADHD

Abstract

Objective: To summarize the literature that has employed visual search tasks to assess automatic and effortful selective visual attention in children with and without ADHD. Method: Seven studies with a combined sample of 180 children with ADHD ( M age = 10.9) and 193 normally developing children ( M age = 10.8) are located. Results: Using a qualitative approach, the authors find no group difference in automatic search, but results are variable for effortful serial search. Using a novel, graphical approach, the authors find that the ADHD group demonstrated less efficient serial search. This overall effect is explored as a function of search display complexity. Children with ADHD search less efficiently at the lowest and highest levels of display complexity. Conclusion: Children with ADHD show impairments in aspects of their effortful visual selective attention, as measured by visual search. (J. of Att. Dis. 2008; 12(1) 44-53)