Language and Activity of Hyperactive and Comparison Children during Listening Tasks

Abstract

Support for the underarousal theory of hyperactivity has come from recent research demonstrating that the defining characteristics of out-of-seat activity and verbalization are observed in minimal-stimulation classroom contexts. The present study also found these quantitative differences between hyperactive and comparison preschool males by using receptive-communications tasks that required listening and delayed responding. Qualitative analyses of activity and vocalizations are reported. Content analyses suggested that hyperactive and comparison children did not differ in task-related movements or verbalizations. However, hyperactive preschoolers were characterized by (a) impulsive verbalizations during transitions and tasks that required response delay, and (b) by dysfluencies and a high rate of commentary during task performance.

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