Developmental changes in attention tests norms: implications for the structure of attention.

Assessment of attention is a key issue in the study of neuropsychological development. In this study we collected Hebrew norms for four frequently used attention tests (Trail Making, Digit-Symbol, Digit Span, and Digit Cancellation), analyzed the developmental sensitivity of each test and traced changes in attention across ages. The tests were administered to 809 boys and girls ranging in age from 8 to 17, divided into 10 age cohorts. The results indicate that, although all tests showed age effects, Digit-Symbol and Digit Cancellation tests were most developmentally sensitive. Another interesting finding was that younger age groups (8-11) are more dissociable by attention tests than older age groups (12-17), indicating that changes in attention are more pronounced in the early years and stabilize in later years.