Test of Child Attention: Analysis of the Psychometric Characteristics and Preliminary Reference Values

Attention has been defined as a multidimensional construct, dealing with regulation of which stimuli the perceptual resources are directed to, filtering irrele-vant information out to favor the retention of relevant information for a period of time, before acting on it. The computerized evaluation of attention has been gaining relevance both in research and in professional practice. The objectives are: 1) to analyze internal con-sistency and concurrent validity of the Child Attention Test 6.0 (TAI), computerized version 6.0; and, 2) to obtain the preliminary reference values for each of the TAI subtests done. The data for the validity and reliability studies of the TAI corresponds to a sample of 122 schoolchildren in Mendoza (Argentina). When analyzing the internal consistency, satisfactory values were obtained for each subtest (Test 1, KR 20 = 0.78; Test 2, KR 20 = 0.74; and Test 3, KR 20 = 0.73). Satisfac-tory values were obtained when exploring the stability of the instrument. For concurrent validity, the results indicate significant moderate positive correlations (p <0.01) between the scores obtained in the Caras-R test and subtests 1 and 2 of the TAI, used to evaluate attentional performance. Significant positive associa-tions (p <0.01) were observed between TAI subtest 3 and the Corsi Block Test, used to assess visuospatial working memory. These results indicate that the TAI, an instrument developed in order to evaluate attention and visuospatial working memory of school children, presents adequate indicators of validity and reliability. The findings, limitations, and future lines of research are discussed.