Measures of a 7-year-old child's communication performance were analyzed as a function of varying dosages of Ritalin (methylphenidate) prescribed by a physician for controlling an attentional deficit. Data were taken from videotaped segments of low-structured clinical interaction. Measures of (1) mean length of utterance in morphemes, (2) verbal spontaneity, (3) communication flow, and (4) topic perseveration were shown to vary as a function of dosage levels.
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