Training First Graders of High-Activity Level to Improve Performance through Verbal Self-direction

Abstract

Several previous lines of theory and research have suggested that language development plays an important role in control of impulsive responding and that training in verbal self-regulation can be effective in reducing impulsive responding among hyperactive children. The body of research on “conceptual tempo” further suggests that multiple-choice formats found in educational materials may be specifically eliciting impulsive responses from children who are disposed to make hasty (and incorrect) choices. In this study impulsive, high-active first graders were trained to verbally mediate responses on a multiple-choice task. Then on a standardized, multiple-choice test of perceptual-matching ability, this group showed a significant pretest to posttest gain in comparison with an untrained control group of impulsive, high-active children and with both trained and untrained control groups of nonimpulsive, low-active children. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the questionable validity of certain types of assessment materials for impulsive children and the specific potential of verbal mediational training as a remedial technique.