Evaluation of the attention capacity in 10,000 school children (8 to 11 years old).

Aim, - This study was conducted in order to evaluate the attention capacity during the school day and week taking school life and others factors into account in 10,000 children (8 to II years old) in public Parisian schools. Material and methods, - The test used to measure attention was a paper and pencil test validated from the Zazzo test. The children answered a questionnaire before each test to obtain information concerning the time and day of the test and concerning also the different life styles of children, particularly quantity and quality of sleep and composition of breakfast. The evaluation was performed four times in the morning and four times in the afternoon every day, to measure exactly the fluctuations of attention This study lasted four weeks. The last evaluation week took place after the summer time change. Results, - The results showed the existence of an ultradian fluctuation of attention during the day, with the lowest level between 08.00 a.m. and 09.30 am. and the highest level between 04.00 p.m. and 04.30 p.m. The attention levels on Monday and Thursday, after a day without school, were not lowered. Furthermore, after a 2 days weekend the attention level was higher than after a 1 day and half weekend. The summer time change also worsened the attention capacity of children all along the next week. Finally, there was a statistical relationship between children attention capacity and their sleep practice. Conclusion. - These results confirm the ultradian fluctuation of attention capacity and show the importance of the regularity in the child's life style with respect to their mental functioning. (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.