Eye Behaviour in a Targeting Task in Children with ADHD: Linkage to a Level of Attention

TL;DR

This study examines eye movement patterns in children with ADHD to understand how they relate to attention mechanisms during a targeting task.

Contribution

The study reveals that quiet eye duration is not a reliable predictor of attention in children with ADHD.

Findings

Quiet eye duration does not reliably predict visuomotor performance in children with ADHD.

Relevant visual information for movement planning is gathered earlier in the process in children with ADHD.

Prolonged quiet eye duration is linked to poorer attentional efficiency in ADHD.

Abstract

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often exhibit different oculomotor behavior compared to their typically developing peers. Research shows that eye movement patterns can provide important information about attention mechanisms. While eye movements have been examined in various cognitive contexts, this study investigated their role in a task designed to assess their potential as indicators of attention functioning in children with ADHD. Specifically, we assessed tonic attention, attentional focus, and selective attention. Seventy participants aged 9–12 years with DSM-5 ADHD-I and ADHD-C types participated in our research. We then included the results of 57 participants in our study. We used the d2-R attention test and the Reaction alertness test to determine the specifics we were looking for. We used Eye Tracking Glasses (ETG) 2w to capture eye movements. The results show that quiet eye (QE) duration does not reliably predict visuomotor performance in this population. Our findings further suggest that in children with ADHD, the QE phase is not the primary period for acquiring visual information important for movement planning; rather, relevant information is gathered earlier in the process. Conversely, prolonged onset and duration of QE were associated with poorer attentional efficiency, suggesting that in ADHD, longer QE may reflect slower or less efficient cognitive processing rather than increased control.

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