Right Hemisphere Ch. 1 Attention

What is attention

A mental process that allows people to focus on tasks while ignoring others

Ways impaired attention can affect life

Unable to attend to tasks, can’t hold conversations

T/F: Attention is always defined in relation to a stimulus

True

External attention

originating from the environment

Internal attention

originating form within the individual

Example of external attention

Listening to someone talk

Example of internal attention

thinking of a to-do list

Modalities of external stimuli

visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory/gustatory

T/F: attention is a prerequisite to language, memory, and executive function

True

Capacity lmitation and selection

Ability to select specific stimuli on which to focus our attention and ignore the others

“Cocktail party problem”

the challenge of attending to a target talker in a complex acoustic environment

Resource allocation theory

we flexibly allocate resources from a single cognitive pool of resources to various tasks

Sustained attention

attending to a single set of stimuli for a period of time

Executive control of attention

includes working memory, selective attention, suppression, and alternating attention

Subtypes of attention

Sustained attention, executive control (suppression and working memory), alternating attention

Sustained attention

Ability to maintain attention during continuous and repetitive activities

Selective attention

Selectively process information while inhibiting responses to nontarget information

Alternating attention

Ability to shift focus between tasks, stimuli, or response sets; mental flexibility

Suppression

Ability to control impulsive responding

Working memory

Ability to hold and manipulate information in mind

Things to consider when assessing attention

modality being tested, fluctuations in attention

Auditory attention is almost always…

time dependent

Attention deficits with TBI

slower reaction time, distractible, overwhelmed. Attention or slowed processing? How does attention affect ADLs?

Attention deficits and aphasia

difficulty allocating attention to different tasks

Attention deficits and dementia 

Lewy body, fluctuations in attention

Considerations of assessment of attention

1. What type you are assessing

2. Client’s current abilities/skills

3. purpose/goal 

Test of Everyday Attention

8 subtests assessing visual and auditory attention

Attention Processing Training Test

High structured assessment of the types of attention (sustained, selective, alternating, divided)

Digit span

very widely used, verbal memory

What attention assessments are more conducive to real life?

Attention Rating Scales (e.g., Moss) 

Direct attention training

the use of decontextualized tasks to train attention in a specific context (e.g., listening for target words)

Training attention in specific skills

training attention in the context of everyday activities (e.g., attend to morning routine)

External aids to help with attention deficits

Environmental modifications, self-management strategies, external aids to help the patient/caregiver compensate for the attention deficit