Activity and Attentional Correlates of Teacher Ratings of Hyperactivity

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between observational assessment of attention, teacher ratings of hyperactivity, and mechanical measures of activity level in a psychological testing situation. Forty-nine children were rated by their teachers for hyperactivity in the classroom. Behavioral observations focused on attention, while assessment of activity level consisted of a wrist actometer and a stabilimeter chair. Although the observations and the mechanical measures were found to be significantly interrelated, the teachers' ratings of hyperactivity were meaningfully related only to the actometer. Age and sex differences were noted. Discussion includes consideration of these results, within the limitations of the present study, as suggesting that teacher ratings of hyperactivity reflect only the activity level component of hyperactivity, while failing to assess the attention component.