Abstract
The conditions under which cognitively impulsive, 'inattentive' responding can be changed into more reflective functioning were reviewed systematically. Variables include age and intelligence of children, number of training sessions, kinds of instructions or modelling, training atmosphere, trainer personality and experience and training materials. Most successful experiments have been designed for individual training, but small-group training can also be effective when experienced trainers are available. Most successful programmes use cognitive behaviour modification that is, strategic self-instructions introduced by modelling processes. Using a self-administered, self-instruction programme, teachers can become effective models and competent instructors of attention for their classes, so that confusion and disorder diminish and self-initiated task-relevant activity increases in students. Data about impulsive and reflective children that have not been published in English before are reviewed. It is further proposed that we replace the a priori concept of reflection-impulsivity by a concept of five observed and statistically defined types of attention behaviour.
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