A study of the relationship between neurological evidence of brain damage in children and activity and distractibility

Compared a group of 24 boys and 12 girls, 5-8 yr. of age, with neurological evidence of brain damage (selected with IQs above 75 on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test) to a control group (matched for sex) on a series of measures of activity and distractibility. It was found that (a) although the average IQs of both groups were within the normal range, control Ss were significantly more intelligent; (b) in a structured situation, brain-damaged Ss were more active; (c) in 3 of 4 distractibility tasks more brain-injured Ss than control Ss were distractible; and (d) in the free situation, sex and damage interacted. Correlational analysis of the group indicates that a strong set of interrelationships existed between variables in the experimental group. Central to these relationships was the input modality through which the stimuli was transmitted. Data are interpreted as indicating that brain injury affects the child's capacity to control his immediate exchanges with his environment in terms of activity level and attention. (16 ref.)