Using standard situations to measure attention span and persistence in toddler-aged children: some cautions

This study was conducted with 38 children, 23-25 months old, to evaluate the use of standard situations to measure individuals differences in attention span and persistence. A vigilance task was used to measure attention span and three problem-solving tasks to measure persistence. Three delay tasks were used to measure inhibitory control, a personality trait hypothesized to be a correlate of attention span and persistence. Results showed (a) some consistency in performance within the persistence tasks but not across these tasks, (b) poor consistency in performance within the vigilance task, and (c) good consistency in performance across the delay tasks. No significant interrelations were found among the persistence, attention span, and delay measures. Developmental status, as measured by maternal report, was not related to any of the measures.