Reaction and movement time variability in ADD/H: effect of tactile experience

A clinical group of children with attention deficit disorders with hyperactivity (ADD/H) was compared to a control group, each divided into high and low variability (HV and LV) on reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) measures. The effects of tactile-somatosensory experience on performance was also investigated. Analyses of the HV and LV groups based on RT variability found improvement on MT in both HV groups (ADD/H and control) following a tactile-somatosensory task. Both HV groups based on MT variability also showed improvement in MT following the TPT administration. No LV group (based on either RT or MT) showed improvement in MT or RT. The results in this study indicated that HV (either RT or MT) predicted improved speed and accuracy following a tactile somatosensory task. Several neuroanatomical models for the study of response variability and the role of tactile somatosensory training programmes in paediatric rehabilitation are discussed.