Subtypes of children with attention disabilities

Subtypes of children with attentional problems were investigated using cluster analysis. Subjects were 9-year-old-elementary school children (N = 443). The test battery administered to these children comprised a comprehensive set of common attention tests, covering different aspects of attentional functioning, and a test of reading comprehension. Cluster analysis of these data yielded eight stable and reproducible clusters. The test profiles of two subgroups were indicative of distinct attentional problems. One group appeared deficient in speed of processing, the other in attentional control. A third subgroup showed a reading deficit. Two additional clusters had very poor and excellent performance on the whole battery, respectively. Finally, three clusters were found with minor variations approximating average performance. The internal validity, that is, the adequacy and stability of the cluster solution, appeared to be reasonably good, as indicated by a variety of measures. The long-term stability over an Is-month period was also checked and found to be satisfactory.