II. Definitions
- Attention
- Attends for short periods of time despite minor stimuli
- Concentration
- Attends for longer periods of time
III. Exam
- Random Letter Test
- Examiner says each letter (one at a time): "S-A-V-E-A-H-A-A-R-T"
- Patient raises finger for each of the 4 A's
- Digit Span Test
- Patient repeats a series of numbers (start with 3 numbers, then 4 numbers, then 5 numbers and then 6 numbers)
- Three digits: 7-8-3 (or 5-4-7)
- Four digits: 7-9-6-2 (or 4-8-2-5)
- Five digits: 6-3-8-1-7 (or 9-4-6-2-1)
- Six digits: 4-8-3-9-7-2 (or 6-2-4-1-3-9)
- Seven digits: 8-9-2-6-4-1-7 (or 3-1-4-2-6-9-5)
- Eight digits: 7-1-9-2-8-3-5-4 (or 6-4-3-9-2-5-7-1)
- Other tests (which also test Executive Function)
IV. Interpretation
- Significant deficits in attention are typically of organic cause
- Anxiety or Psychosis-related interrupted thoughts may also affect attention
V. Resources
- Forensic Neuropsychology
VI. References
- Zum, Swaminathan and Egan in Herbert (2014) EM:Rap 14(7): 11-13
- Tomb (1992) Psychiatry, 4th Ed, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, p. 6-11
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Related Studies
| Definition (ICF) | Specific mental functions of focusing on an external stimulus or internal experience for the required period of time. |
| Definition (ICF-CY) | Specific mental functions of focusing on an external stimulus or internal experience for the required period of time. |
| Definition (MSHCZE) | Soustředění na určité stránky aktuálního prožívání s vyloučením těch ostatních. Je to akt věnování pozornosti, všímání nebo koncentrace. |
| Definition (NAN) | Mental readiness to notice or observe |
| Definition (MSH) | Focusing on certain aspects of current experience to the exclusion of others. It is the act of heeding or taking notice or concentrating. |
| Definition (PSY) | Condition of perceptual or cognitive awareness of or focusing on some aspect of one's environment. Compare ATTENTION SPAN and VIGILANCE. |
| Definition (CSP) | selection and perception of a certain stimulus or of a range of stimuli composing a part of a complex stimulus situation; concentration of the mental powers upon an object; a close or careful observing or listening. |
| Concepts | Mental Process (T041) |
| MSH | D001288 |
| SnomedCT | 6769007, 247759001 |
| English | Attention, Attentions, Attention, function, Attention functions, Attention functions, unspecified, attentions, attention, Attention (finding), Attention, function (observable entity), Attention, NOS, Attention (function), Attention [Ambiguous] |
| Spanish | atención, función, atención (entidad observable), atención (función), atención, función (entidad observable), atención, Atención |
| Swedish | Uppmärksamhet |
| Czech | pozornost |
| Finnish | Attentio |
| Russian | INTERFERENTSIONNYI OTVET, SOSREDOTOCHENNOST', VNIMANIE, ВНИМАНИЕ, ИНТЕРФЕРЕНЦИОННЫЙ ОТВЕТ, СОСРЕДОТОЧЕННОСТЬ |
| Croatian | PAŽNJA |
| Polish | Uwaga |
| Norwegian | Oppmerksomhet |
| French | Attention |
| German | Aufmerksamkeit |
| Italian | Attenzione |
| Dutch | Aandacht |
| Portuguese | Atenção |
Ontology: Ability to concentrate (C0424098)
| Concepts | Finding (T033) |
| SnomedCT | 247760006 |
| English | Ability to concentrate, Ability to concentrate (observable entity), Concentration ability |
| Spanish | capacidad para concentrarse (entidad observable), capacidad para concentrarse |
Ontology: Ability to direct attention (C0566190)
| Concepts | Finding (T033) |
| SnomedCT | 288768002 |
| English | Ability to direct attention, Ability to direct attention (observable entity) |
| Spanish | capacidad para dirigir la atención (entidad observable), capacidad para dirigir la atención, capacidad para prestar atención |
