Attention checklist: a rating scale for mildly mentally handicapped adolescents

A check list for attentional deficits without reference to hyperactive behavior observed in the classroom was constructed, and teachers' ratings were factor analyzed. The check-list rating was compared to a widely used rating scale for attention deficit-hyperactive disorder (AD-HD), the Abbreviated Conners Rating Scale. Both scales were given to 15 teachers to rate 100 mildly mentally handicapped adolescent students. Analysis showed that 33% of the mentally handicapped students were rated above 1.5 on the Conners Scale, which is the cut-off for hyperactivity. This is much higher than the prevalence of hyperactivity in regular classrooms. The two sets of ratings correlated strongly (.84). Check-list items were grouped under one factor explaining 70.7% of variance and so are recommended for use in discriminating attentional deficit in mentally handicapped as well as in regular class students. The high correlation with ratings on the Conners Scale suggests that AD-HD is a unitary syndrome with attention being most problematic for children labeled hyperactive.