Handedness is associated with cerebral hemispheric differences. Normal patterns of brain asymmetries are needed for the neural processing of attention. In order to identify ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) children, the use of checklists allows a greater level of accuracy. Here, we will review our data on this subject. Our first study investigated the psychometric properties of a scale developed to assess attention disorders. Our second study investigated the relationship between handedness and attention disorders using the factors derived from the scale. Our third study included the use of a continuous visual test of attention (CVAT) and examined the relationship between handedness and CVAT variables. For the first and second study, 239 students were included. From this sample, 42 students were selected to participate in the third study. Forty-five teachers rated the children. Four factors were extracted: hyperactivity/impulsivity (explained variance = 36.3%); inattention (11.4%); social isolation (5.2%) and self-confidence (explained variance = 3.3%). Sixty-eight children were included in the ADHD group. We found a higher number of consistent left-handers in the ADHD group as compared to the normal group and a significant effect of handedness on factor hyperactivity/impulsivity. This indicated that left-handers showed greater problems in the hyperactivity-impulsivity domain as compared to right-handers. Considering the data derived from CVAT, a significant handedness effect was found only for the variable commission errors. Left-handers with attention problems showed the greatest number of errors and normal dextrals the lowest number of errors. Normal left-handers made significantly more errors than normal dextrals. Commission error is a parameter that is commonly viewed as a measure of impulsivity. Our data show that hyperactivity/impulsivity is related to handedness, because left-handers present more problems in impulsive behavior than right-handers and suggest that consistent left-handed subjects show greater probability to develop ADHD as compared to right-handed subjects.
KeywordsADHDHandednessLaterality
Ackerman, J. P., Llorenta, M. M., Black, M. M., Ackerman, C. S., Mayes, L. A., & Nair, P. (2008). The effect of prenatal drug exposure an caregiving context on children’s performance on a task of sustained visual attention. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 29, 467-474. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181903168
American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) (5th ed.). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Arrindel, W. A., & Endle, J. (1985). An empirical test of the utility of the observation to variables ratio in factor and components analysis. Applied Psychological Measurement, 9, 165-178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/014662168500900205
Barkley, R. A. (1990). Attention defict hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment. New York: The Guilford Press.
Barret, P., & Kline, P. (1981).The observation to variable ratio in factor analyses. Journal of Personality and Group Behavior, 2, 94-98.
Bedwell, J. S., Kamath, V., & Compton, M. T. (2009). The relationship between interview-based schizotypal personality dimension scores and the continuous performance test. Schizophrenia Research, 108, 158-162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2008.11.020
Bishop, S. V. M. (1990). Handedness and developmental disorder. Oxford: Mac Keith Press.
Cairney, J. C., Schmidt, L. A., Veldhuizen, S., Kurdyak, P., Hay, J., & Faught, B. E. (2008). Left-handedness and developmental coordination disorder. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 53, 696-699.
Carey, W. B. (1999). Problems in diagnosing attention and activity. Pediatrics, 103, 664-667. http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.103.3.664
Carvalho, A. L. N., Manhaes, A. C., & Schmidt, S. L. (2012). Validity and reliability of a teacher’s scale developed in Brazil for assessment of hyperactive/impulsive behaviour and inattention in children and adolescents. Estudos de Psicologia Campinas, 29, 481-488. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-166X2012000400003
Castellanos, F. X., Lee, P. P., Sharp, W., Jeffries, N. O., Greenstein, D. K., Clasen, L. S., Blumenthal, J. D., James, R. S., Ebens, C. L., Walter, J. M., Zijdenbos, A., Evans, A. C., Giedd, J. N., & Rapoport, J. L. (2002). Developmental trajectories of brain volume abnormalities in children and adolescents with attention-defict/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Medical Association, 288, 607-616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.14.1740
Cattell, R. B. (1966). The screen test for the number of factors. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 1, 245-276. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr0102_10
Cho, S. C., Kim, H. W., Kim, B. N., Shin, M. S., Yoo, H. J., Kim, J. W., et al. (2011). Are teacher ratings and parents ratings differently associated with children’s intelligence and cognitive performance. Psychiatry Investigation, 8, 15-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.4306/pi.2011.8.1.15
Conners, C. K., Epstein, J. N., Angold, A., & Klaric, J. (2003). Continuous performance test performance in a normative epidemiological sample. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31, 555-558. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1025457300409
Dewey, D., Crawford, S. G., & Kaplan, B. J. (2003).Clinical importance of parent rating of everyday cognitive abilities in children with learning and attentional problems. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36, 87-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00222194030360011001
Di Paola, M., Luders, E., Rubino, I. A., Siracusano, A., Manfredi, G., Girardi, P., Martinotti, G., Thompson, P. M., Chou, Y. Y., Toga, A. W., Caltagirone, C., & Spalleta, G. (2012). The structure of the corpus callosum in obsessive compulsive disorder. European Psychiatry, in press.
DuPaul, G. J., Anastopoulos, A. D., Shelton, T. L., Guevremont, D. C., & Metevia, L. (1992). Multimethod assessment of attention deficit hyperactiviy disorder: the diagnostic utility of clinic-based tests. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21, 394-402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp2104_10
Egliton, E., & Anett, M. (1994). Handedness and dyslexia: A metaanalysis. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79, 1611-1616. http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pms.1994.79.3f.1611
Epstein, J. N., Erkanli, A., Conners, C. K., Klaric, J., Costello, J. E., & Angold, A. (2003). Relations between continuous performance test performance measures and ADHD behaviors. Journal of Abnormal Child Pshychology, 31, 543-554. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1025405216339
Gershon, J. (2002). A meta-analytic review of gender differences in ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 5, 143-154. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/108705470200500302
Guilford, J. P. (1956). Psychometric methods. New York: McGrawHill.
Glascoe, F. P., Martin, E. D., & Humphrey, S. (1990). A comparative review of developmental screening tests. Pediatrics, 86, 547-554.
Goez, H., & Zelnik, N. (2008). Handedness in patients with developmental coordination disorder. Journal of Child Neurology, 23, 151-154. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0883073807307978
Greenhill, L. L. (1998). Diagnosing attention-defict/hyperactivity disorder in children. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59, 31-41.
Honey, G. D., Pomarol-Clotet, E., Corlett, P. R., Honey, R. A. E., Mckenna, P. J., Bullmore, E. T., & Fletcher, P. C. (2005). Functional dysconnectivity in schizophrenia associated with attentional modulation of motor function. Brain, 128, 1597-2611. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brain/awh632
Mares, D., McLuckie, A., Schwartz, M., & Saini, M. (2007). Executive function impairments in children with attention-deficthyper activity disorder: Do they differ between school and home environments. Canadian Journal of Pssychiatry, 52, 527-534.
Meisels, S. J. (1989). Can developmental screening test sidentify children who are developmentally at risk? Pediatrics, 83, 578-585.
Mitsis, E. M., McKay, E., Schulz, K. P., Newcorn, J. H., & Halperin, J. (2000). Parent-teacher concordance for DSM-IV attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in a clinic-referred sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 308-313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200003000-00012
Nunnally, J. O. (1978). Psychometric teory. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Ogg, R. J., Zou, P., Allen, D. N., Hutchins, S. B., Dutkiewicz, R. M., & Mulhern, R. K. (2008). Neural correlates of a clinical continuous performance test. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 26, 504-512. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mri.2007.09.004
Quinn, P. O. (2008). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and its comorbidities in women and girls: An evolving picture. Current Psychiatry Reports, 10, 419-423. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11920-008-0067-5
Reid, H. M., & Norvilitis, J. M. (2000). Evidence for anomalous lateralization across domain in ADHD children as well as adults identified with the Wender Utah rating scale. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 34, 311-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3956(00)00027-3
Reid, H. M., & Norvilitis, J. M. (2000). Evidence for anomalous lateralization across domain in ADHD children as well as adults identified with the Wender Utah rating scale. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 34, 311-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3956(00)00027-3
Riccio, C. A., Cohen, M. J., Hynd, G. W., & Keith, R. W. (1996). Validity of the auditory continuous performance test in differentiating central processing auditory disorders with and without ADHD. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29, 561-566. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002221949602900510
Riccio, C. A., Reynolds, C. R., Lowe, P., & Moore, J. J. (2002). The continuous performance test: a window on the neural substrates for attention. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 17, 235-272.
Rodriguez, A., & Waldenstrom, U. (2008). Fetal origins of child nonright-handedness and mental health. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49, 967-976. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01923.x
Rodriguez, A., Kaakinen, M., Moilanen, I., Taanila, A., McGough, J. J., Loo, S., & Jarvelin, M. R. (2010). Mixed-handedness is linked to mental health problems in children and adolescents. Pediatris, 125, 339-348.
Rolfe, M. H. S., Hausmann, M., & Waldie, K. E. (2006). Hemispheric functioning in children with subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Attention Disorders, 10, 20-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1087054705286053
Rosvold, H. E., Mirsky, A. F., Sarason, I., Bransome Jr., E. D., & Beck, L. H. (1956). A continuous performance test of brain damage. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 20, 343-350. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0043220
Schatz, A. M., Ballantyne, A. O., & Trauner, D. A. (2001). Sensitivity and specificity of a computerized test of attention in the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Assessment, 8, 357-365. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107319110100800401
Schmidt, S. L., & Hofke, A. A. (1989). Laterality of Brazilian adults and its relationship with performance in learning a second language. Society for Neuroscience, 15, 1061.
Schmidt, S. L., Oliveira, M. R., Krahe, T. E., & Filgueiras, C. C. (2000). The effects of hand preference and gender on finger tapping performance asymmetry by the use of infra-red light measurement device. Neuropsychologia, 38, 529-534. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0028-3932(99)00120-7
Schmidt, S. L., Snyder, T. J., Roget, A. C., & Gray, E. (2000). Empirical analysis of the selective attention and associated behavior checklists of the Aggregate neurobehavioral student health and educational review. Journal of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, 21, 165-171.
Schmidt, S. L., Correa, P. L., Tolentino, J. C., Manhaes, A. C., Felix, R. M., Azevedo, J. C., Barbirato, G. B., Mendes, M. H. F., Boechat, Y., Cabral, H., Schmidt, G. J., Dohmann, H. F., & Mesquita, C. (2008). Value of combining activated brain FDG-PET and cardiac MIBG for the differencial diagnosis of dementia. Diferenciation of dementia with Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer Disease when the diagnoses based on clinical and neuroimaging criteria are difficult. Clinical Nuclear Medicine, 33, 398-401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/RLU.0b013e3181708244
Stefanatos, G. A., & Baron, I. S. (2007). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A neuropsychological perspective towards DSM-V. Neuropsychology Review, 17, 5-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11065-007-9020-3
Sullivan, K., Halton, D. D., Hamer, J. Sideris, Hooper, J., Ornstein, P. H., & Barly, D. B. Jr. (2007). Sustained attention and response inhibition in boys with fragile X syndrome: Measures of continuous performance. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 144, 517-532. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.30504
Swanson, J. M., Kinsbourne, M., Nigg, J., Lanphear, B., Stefanatos, G. A., Volkow, N., Taylor, E., Casey, B. J., Castellanos, F. X., & Wadhwa, P. D. (2007). Etiologic subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Brain imaging, molecular genetic and environmental factors and the dominie hypothesis. Neuropsychological Review, 17, 39-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11065-007-9019-9
Szaflarski, J. P., Rajagopal, A., Altaye, M., Byars, A. W., Jacola, L., Schmithorst, V. J., Schapiro, M. B., Plante, E., & Holland, S. K. (2012). Left-handedness and language lateralization in children. Brain Research, 1433, 85-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2011.11.026
Tinius, T. P. (2003). The integrated visual and auditory continuous performance test as a neuropsychological measure. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 18, 439-454.
Tripp, G., Shaugheency, E. A., & Clarke, B. (2006). Parent and teacher rating scales in the evaluation of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Contribution to diagnosis and differential diagnosis in clinically referred children. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 27, 209-218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00004703-200606000-00006
Ulloa, R. E., Narvaez, M. R., Arroyo, E., Del Bosque, J., & De la Pena, F. (2009). Estudio de validez del cuestionario para transtorno por defcit de atencion y transtorno de conduta. Actas Espanolas de Psiquiatria, 37, 153-157.