Introduction

Attention is the ability to focus on one specific task among many others and to neglect the rest of
all. It is that process in which you select one particular task of your interest or need amongst a
large number that surrounds you and put your entire focus on the selected object and neglect all
others of your surroundings.
The history of attention refers back to centuries but some of the main works that provided
attention a sole identification were started from eighteenth century when William James first
introduced his method of Introspection for the study of attention. Then in the nineteenth century,
many renowned psychologists including Colin Cherry, Donald Broadbent, Anne Treisman,
Robert Wurtz and Michael Posner performed their praiseworthy experiments on attention in
different decades which proved to be very much valuable in this field. Such experiments
contributed attention a huge importance and it became a subject of interest for all.
There are different kinds of attention that must be exercised if a student is to learn successfully.
These are sustained attention, selective attention and divided attention. These skills can be
identified, measured and trained. On the other hand, their also do exist a large number of
attention problems which need to be measured and diagnosed in the most favorable way that can
exist. Among these, the most typical one is the ADD or ADHD which is considered by having
difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.
The attention related issues need to be diagnosed in both social and psychological manners. In
psychological way, a good psychologist or therapist can be helpful, while socially, a good social
worker can play a huge role in treating the attention related issues.

DEFINITIONs

Attention is the taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what
may seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thoughts. It implies
withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others. [1]
-William James

Attention is the preferential detection, identification, and recognition of selected stimuli

in an environment containing multiple sources of stimulation.
-Woods

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Attention is the process of focusing selectively on some part of the environment while
ignoring other aspects. [2]
-Ellis and Hunt

History of attention
1

James.W.(1890).Principle of Psychology. New York. Henry Holt, vol 1, pp 403

2. Ellis and Hunt (1989), pp 301

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1850s to 1900s:
In William James' time, the method more commonly used to study attention was introspection.
However, as early as 1858, Franciscus Donders used mental chronometry to study attention and
it was considered a major field of intellectual inquiry by authors such as Sigmund Freud. One
major debate in this period was whether it was possible to attend to two things at once (split
attention). Walter Benjamin described this experience as "reception in a state of distraction." This
disagreement could only be resolved through experimentation.

1950s to present:
In the 1950s, research psychologists renewed their interest in attention when the dominant
epistemology shifted from positivism (i.e., behaviorism) to realism during what has come to be
known as the "cognitive revolution". The cognitive revolution admitted unobservable cognitive
processes like attention as legitimate objects of scientific study.
Modern research on attention began with the analysis of the "cocktail party problem" by Colin
Cherry in 1953. At a cocktail party how do people select the conversation that they are listening
to and ignore the rest? This problem is at times called "focused attention", as opposed to "divided
attention". Cherry performed a number of experiments which became known as dichotic
listening. This experiment was criticized by many psychologists including Gray, Wedderburn and
Anne Treisman.
In the 1960s, Robert Wurtz at the National Institutes of Health began recording electrical signals
from the brains of macaques (a kind of monkey) that were trained to perform attentional tasks.
These experiments showed for the first time that there was a direct neural correlate of a mental
process (namely, enhanced firing in the superior colliculus).
In the 1990s, psychologists began using PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and later fMRI
(Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to image the brain in attentive tasks. Michael I.
Posner who was renowned for his seminal work on visual selective attention and neurologist
Marcus Raichle are the innovators of brain imaging studies of selective attention. Their results
soon sparked interest from the entire neuroscience community in these psychological studies,
which had until then focused on monkey brains. With the development of these technological
innovations neuroscientists became interested in this type of research that combines sophisticated
experimental models from cognitive psychology with these new brain imaging techniques. [3]

Types of Attention
Functionalist:
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The functionalists focused on the selective nature of attention as an active function of the
organism based on its motivational state. Thus, while recognizing that attention can
sometimes be passive or reflexive, they concentrated on the fact that attention determines
whatever the organism experiences.

Structuralist:

The sturucturalists, on the other hand, saw attention as a state of consciousness which
consists of increased concentration and results in sensory clearness. [4]
We are constantly being bombarded by stimulation, such as, sights, sounds, smells, feels,
touches, etc. In order to function, we need to be able to pay attention to certain stimuli of our
choosing and ignore the rest of whats going on. There are 4 types of attention which are given as
below:

Sustained Attention
Selective Attention
Alternating Attention
Divided Attention

1. Sustained Attention :
It is the ability to focus on one thing for an extended period of time or the ability to focus
on a specific task for a continual amount of time. For instance, if a student is asked
to complete a page of math exercises in school, shell have to keep her
attention on the exercises until theyre finished, whether it takes her five
minutes or half an hour. Another good way to work on this is by using a basic start-

stop experience. The clients play when I play and stop when I stop.

2. Selective Attention:
It is the ability to focus on certain stimuli while ignoring distractions, to filter out
environmental factors and focus on just one thing. The classic example is being able to
focus on a conversation in the middle of a loud party. It can be a difficult skill to develop.
Another example for selective attention is by instructing a group of clients to copy your
rhythmic pattern on a drum. Your rhythmic pattern will change, so they have to continue
to pay attention and match you (sustained attention). Another therapist or staff member
attempts to distract the group by playing a different rhythm or a different instrument. The
clients need to maintain their focus on the task while ignoring the distracting stimulation.
2

Herre, Rom. Cognitive Science: A Philosophical Introduction, London: SAGE

Publications,2002.

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3. Alternating Attention:
It is the ability to shift your focus between two different tasks with different cognitive
demands. For example, a client has a drum and I have a guitar. I alternate between two
different accompaniment patterns to a song, one strumming and one finger-picking. The
client is instructed to play the drum when I finger-pick and to move to the music when I
strum. This is known as alternating attention.

4. Divided Attention:
It is the ability to respond simultaneously to multiple tasks. Divided attention allows you
to perform more than one task at a time. This is the highest level of attention. The classic
example for this is the driving of a car. The demands on our attention skills are quite high
when driving a car. Its dangerous to text and drive or talk and drive because we might
get our attention divided may face some unexpected accident. Another example of this
would be following instructions to make a batch of cookies where you have to divide
your attention between reading the recipe and doing other things like measuring and
stirring. [5]

PROBLEMS of ATTENTION

Alertness and Arousal

Selectivity and Saliency Determination
Distractibility
Duration of Attention
Previewing and Planning
Self-Monitoring and Self-Regulation
Need for Stimulation and for Body Movement.

1. Alertness and Arousal:

Students who have trouble with alertness and arousal may have difficulty getting to sleep
at night and awakening in the morning. They may appear tired and sleepy throughout the
3

4. Abikoff , H. (1987). Stuucturalist Attention. In B. B. Laley and A. E. Kazdin (EDs),

Advances In Child Psychology .New York: Plenum Press, pp. 216.
5. Swanson, J.M., et al. Types of Attention. New York:The Guildford Press,pp. 40

5 | Page

day, particularly when they are required to perform tasks that do not especially interest
them. Sometimes they describe this feeling as "bored" because they just can't seem to get
with it and focus their attention on anything. When they sit in a classroom at school, they
feel kind of mentally sluggish, have trouble getting started on their work, and, at times,
they might even fall asleep in class. At other times, they feel really restless and move
around a lot.
Sometimes students who fall asleep in class or who move around too
much get into trouble. Their teachers might complain about their
wiggling or squirming. Their teachers may not understand that they
may need to move around to stay alert. Their teachers and parents may tell
them that they must not care about school, that they are not motivated or that they are
lazy when it comes to schoolwork. They may also be told they are not working up to their
"potential" or making the grades they are capable of making. Sometimes they are told
they would do much better in school if they would only try harder. These comments can
be pretty discouraging to students who have problems with feeling alert and aroused. [6]

2. Selectivity and Saliency Determination:

Students who have trouble with selectivity or determining saliency always seem to be
tuned in to the wrong thing at the wrong time - they are tuned in to channel two when
they should be tuned in to channel nine. They may be reading their book when they
should be listening to their teacher give directions. If asked to give an oral summary of
what they did on their summer vacation, they may retell every activity in great detail
instead of hitting the highlights (salient events or activities). We can all probably think of
someone we know whom we would describe as wordy or verbose - they just can't come
to the point with a few words. You may often feel the urge to say, "Just get to the point; I
don't have all day."
When taking lecture notes, they might try to write down everything the teacher says and
run out of time, or they may notice that a fellow student has on two different colors of
socks instead of paying attention to the right answer the student is giving to the teacher's
question. It often takes them longer to complete their work than it does others because
they are focusing on unimportant things, and their grades don't really reflect the effort
they have put into a task. [7]

3. Distractibility:
Students who have trouble with distractibility attend to the person who is walking down
the hall or the person mowing the lawn outside their classroom window when they should
be listening to their teacher give the direction for an assignment. They usually do not
make a conscious decision to do this; it happens before they realize it. These same
students are also more easily distracted by any talking by other students in the classroom.
46 .

Brestan, E.V., (1998). Alertness and Arousal, 82 Studies. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 27,
180-185.

6 | Page

In addition, students who are distracted by their own thoughts or who are in free flight
may not hear what is going on in the classroom and may miss important information. For
example, the topic of class discussion may be the political climate in Russia. A student
who is thinking about Russia may then think about their parent's trip to Russia, and then
about the neat shoes that their parents brought them back from Russia, which then leads
them to think about the track meet that is on Saturday, which leads them to think about
their friend Sam who is also on the team, and so on. Also students engaged in free flight
may make statements that are not relevant to the present situation. Instead, their
statements are related to the topic of their free flight. [8]
5

4. Duration of Attention:
Sometimes when things take so much mental energy, a student (or adult) might decide
that it just requires too much effort. When this happens, they often quit soon after
beginning, or they may not begin the task at all because they know they will never have
enough energy to finish it. A student once described this as similar to how he would feel
if someone told him to run a 30-mile race right away. His immediate response would be,
"Forget it, no way! Can't do it! "
Students who have difficulty with sustaining mental effort often exhibit inconsistency in
their performance - they tune in and out. In fact, often their only consistency is their
inconsistency. They often hear their teachers say, "I know you can do this work; you did
it yesterday." These students become easily mentally fatigued and burn out quickly when
performing tasks that are not particularly interesting to them or that require sustained
mental effort. They may miss important information and/or hear only parts of directions.
At other times, they may be over focused or maintain focus too long on a given task,
especially one that does not merit this amount of attention. A problem that is related to
difficulty with maintaining focus is called depth of processing. At times, students
maintain focus but they may not be actively processing the information on which they are
focused.

5. Previewing and Planning:

People who have trouble with previewing skills are often called impulsive. They do not
stop and think before they say or do something; they act before they think. Students with
poor previewing skills may say what everyone else thinks but knows not to say. They
may blurt out things in the classroom rather than raising their hands and waiting until the
teacher calls on them. They often act so quickly that they deny their behavior because
there was no real intent present - it happened so fast they didn't realize they were doing it
until after it was done. They often display an outburst of temper or behave aggressively
57 .

Palhem, W. E., et al. (1988). Salectivity and Saliency Determination Attention Disorder.
London, Pergamem ,vol: 3 , pp.29 -38.
8 .Wilens TC, Faraone,SV, Biederman J, Gunawardene S.(2003).Problem of Attention. A Metaanalytic Reveiw of Literature. USA. Dalton Press. pp 56-65

7 | Page

toward peers. These are the children who most often get into trouble in school and who
frequently have the lowest self-esteem. They do not mean to do the things they do.
Russell Barkley states that these children have trouble doing what they know rather than
not knowing what to do. They have difficulty with rule-governed behavior. That is, they
have trouble following rules even though they know the rules. [9]
6

6. Self-Monitoring and Self-Regulation:

Students who have trouble with self-monitoring often make careless mistakes. They are
not "watching" themselves while they are doing something. When they do make
mistakes, they do not notice them so they cannot correct them. They might say something
that hurts another person's feelings, but they do not notice because they are not really
"looking" at what is going on. They do not self-regulate. Poor self-monitoring and selfregulation can cause problems both with other people and with schoolwork.
Students who have problems with regulating the speed or pace of their work often work
too slowly or too quickly. They may rush through their work and make careless mistakes
because they are not taking enough time to do the work the right way. They may also not
be very good at estimating how long a task will take. For example, they may begin their
homework at 8:00 p.m. thinking it will take them an hour to complete. At midnight,
however, they find they are still working because their speed of processing does not
match the demands or requirements of the task. [10]
7

7. Need for Stimulation and for Body

Movement:
Some students who have a high need for stimulation find the traditional classroom
situation intolerable. They often create chaos or stir things up in order to increase the
level of stimulation around them. They usually know they will get in trouble for creating
the chaos, but the experience of getting in trouble actually provides the needed
stimulation. Their optimal level of arousal is above the norm.
Some students have a hard time sitting still in school. They may frequently get up out of
their desks. They might sit on their feet in their desks or shake their legs while they are
seated, tap their pencils on their desks, doodle on their papers, twist their hair or play
with an object in their hands. Often they will report that they actually think well when
they are moving. Teachers and family members may not like this movement, though.
They may not understand that some people think well when they are in motion, so
students who move around a lot may get into trouble. [11]
6

Young, K. (1991). Previewing and Planning Problems. Student British Medical Institute. Pp .
351-356.
7
.
Carlson, C. L., Pelham, W. E ., Milich, R., and Dixon, J. (1999).Self Motoring and Self
Regulation Problem. Abnormal Child Psychology , vol 20,pp. 213.
11. McMahon,R..J.(1994). Problems in Attention. Journal of Counsalting and Clinical
Psychology, vol 62 ,pp.901-907.

8 | Page

Treatment for Attention

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:

Most young children are naturally active and may be unable to pay attention to a single task for a
long period of time. However, some children who are consistently hyperactive should be
evaluated by a mental health professional for possible Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD),
according to Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., a child psychologist who is a clinical instructor at the
University of Utah School of Medicine and codirector of the Neurology, Learning and Behavior
Center in Salt Lake City.
8

SIGN AND SYMPTOMS OF ADHD, ADD:

Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. The symptoms are
especially difficult to define because it is hard to draw the line at where normal levels of
inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity end and clinically significant levels requiring
intervention begin. Some of the signs that psychological testing for attention problems (ADHD,
ADD) may be needed are:

Does not listen to instructions

Has trouble following routines
Is easily overwhelmed and disorganized
Interrupts when others talk
Becomes bored easily
Has trouble meeting deadlines
Daydreams during important tasks
Has trouble starting tasks
Is easily side-tracked by other projects
Loses things frequently, such as assignments and jackets
Forgets to lock the door at home
Has trouble remembering all of the steps for a task

8.

Wilens TE, Biederman J, Spensor TJ.(2002).Attention Dificulty. Annual Review of

Medicine, vol 53, pp.113-131.

9 | Page

Has difficulty planning ahead or anticipating consequences of a behavior

Does not organize information or materials needed for a task
Has difficulty regulating emotions
Does not self-monitor progress on tasks

Some ADD traits, such as impulsiveness, hyperactivity and difficulty paying attention to routine
activities, are not always liabilities, points out Dr. Goldstein, and can be effectively managed by
parents and teachers, with guidance from a professional. In severe cases, stimulant medication
may be prescribed for a child with ADD. [12]
9

THERAPIES
ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER: (therapy)
ADHD is characterized by having difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive
behavior. It's estimated that between three and five percent of children are affected by ADHD. It
had been thought that most ADHD sufferers outgrow the condition by adolescence, but
researchers now think that in many people, the symptoms continue into adulthood and can create
significant problems. Adults with ADHD tend to be distracted easily, are forgetful and sometime
have trouble finishing projects. They're often disorganized and have difficulty making decisions.
The psychologists at The Center for Psychology have a great deal of experience and success
diagnosing and treating Attention Deficit Disorder in adults. Therapy is effective for the
treatment of the symptoms related to ADHD because it addresses behavior modification.
Children and adults with ADHD have a difficult time regulating their emotional and behavioral
response to situations. Learning effective coping strategies is one way that these individuals can
gain control over their symptoms. When the client begins to feel like an active participant in their
recovery, they become empowered and their confidence and self steam, which are
characteristically low for people with ADHD, begin to grow. Goal setting, reward and
consequence and emotional regulation are other areas that are addressed during ADHD
psychotherapy. [13]

PSYCHO THERAPY:
Psychotherapy can also help if you are dealing with a variety
of other concerns that are interfering with your ability to
enjoy life's pleasures and to cope with life's problems.
Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Since therapy
often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you
9

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may experience uncomfortable feelings. On the other hand, psychotherapy has also been shown
to have many benefits. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems,
and significant reductions in feelings of distress, but there are no guarantees of what you will
experience.
10

In your first session your therapist will offer you some sense of what therapy will entail and how
she or he will work with you to address your concerns. You should evaluate this information and
whether you feel comfortable working with your therapist. If you have questions about our
procedures, you should discuss them with your therapist whenever they arise.You have the right
to ask for the rationale for any aspect of your treatment or to decline any part of your treatment.

SOCIAL THERAPY:
The Clinic for Attention Problems at Texas
Childrens Hospital assesses and treats children
who are developmentally unable to regulate
attention. As a joint endeavor with the Texas
Children's Hospital Learning Support Center
and Baylor College of Medicines sections of
pediatric neurology, developmental pediatrics
and pediatric psychiatry, the clinic takes a
multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and to
the plan for intervention.
Children receive a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation and medical
examinations. Parents are also an integral part of the assessment and are interviewed formally
and informally by the psychologists and physicians during the diagnostic process. The
neuropsychologists and other physicians evaluate the results of the assessments and
cooperatively develop a treatment plan. [14]
11

ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER IN

attention
Social worker has an important role in attention, the treatment dealt between a trained
professional social worker and a client (children, family, couple and group). The problem
addressed in psychological in nature and of no specific kind or degree.
10

13. Kelley,M. L.,McCain,A.P.(1995).Therapies of Attention. Comprehensive Treatment for

Attention Dificit Disorder. Vol. 19, pp.357-375.
11
14. Catholic Social Workers National Association (2006).pp 67

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The importance of challenging traditional separations between adult and child services has been
noted. One experimental study on infant mental health problems found that many mental health
professionals, including social workers, were unwilling to recognize the possibility of such early
difficulties and tended instead to see them as indicative of parental behavior. The needs of
children and young people who play a vital role in caring for a parent or parents with mental
health problems may also be neglected and social workers have an important role in facilitating
and coordinating between professionals, and with families and children.
It has been suggested that those children and young people who have been caring for a parent for
some time, are themselves at risk of developing mental health problems and should receive
intervention from social workers. Disturbance to parenting capacity has been found to have deep
and persistent effects on children and their parents. Because a history of childhood mental health
problems may be a high risk factor for developing adult mental health problems, there is a need
for better coordination between services as young people make the transition to adulthood.
Research indicates, however, that transferring from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services) to adult services is problematic for young people, often resulting in multiple
recommendations to a range of different agencies. Service responses for black and minority
ethnic children and young people have also been found to be inadequate, and deficiencies have
been reported in the availability of services for older adolescents or young adults with mental
health difficulties.

TAIK TO CAREGIVERS, TEACHERS, AND THE DOCTOR:

It's also helpful to speak to caregivers and teachers who
interact regularly with your child. Is your child
paying attention in class and turning in assignments
on time? What's his or her behavior like at recess
and with peers? Gather as much information as
possible to determine the best course of action. [15]
12

FINDING THE RIGHT THERAPIST:

How do you find a qualified clinician who has experience working with kids and teens? While
experience and education are important, it's also important to find a counselor your child feels
comfortable talking to. Look for one who not only has the right experience, but also the best
approach to help your child in the current circumstances.
Your doctor can be a good source of a referral. Most doctors have working relationships with
mental health specialists such as child psychologists or clinical social workers. Friends,
colleagues, or family members might also be able to recommend someone.
12

15. Definition of Social Worker. IFSW General Meeting in Montreal, Canada(2000).Role of

Social Workers.
16. The Find The Right Therapist (NASW, 2005).NASW Fact Sheet.

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Consider a number of factors when searching for the right therapist for your child. A good first
step is to ask if the therapist is willing to meet with you for a brief consultation or to talk with
you during a phone interview before you commit to regular visits.
Discuss your concerns with your child's doctor, who can offer perspective and evaluate your
child to rule out any medical conditions that could be having an effect. The doctor also may be
able to refer you to a qualified therapist for the help your child needs. [16]

CONCLUSION
To sum up, attention is a mental course that requires mental resources to direct and focus the
mental processes. It is closely related to consciousness. The leading works on attention were
done by many renowned psychologists and neurologists in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. The different types of attention include the sustained, selective and the divided
attention. These types can be trained and exercised and can prove to be very beneficial for a
student. ADHD or ADD is the attention disorder in which the student faces difficulty in paying
attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Other than this type includes alertness and
arousal, saliency determination, distractibility, self-regulation and self-monitoring etc. such
disorders can sometimes be fully and sometimes partially diagnosed by referring the right
psychologist or therapist and a good social worker.

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References
1. James. W. (1890).Principle of Psychology. New York. Henry Holt, vol. 1, pp. 403
2. Ellis and Hunt (1989), pp. 301
3. Herre, Rom. Cognitive Science: A Philosophical Introduction, London: SAGE
Publications, 2002.
4. Abikoff, H. (1987). Stuucturalist Attention. In B. B. Laley and A. E. Kazdin (EDs),
Advances in Child Psychology .New York: Plenum Press, pp. 216.
5. Swanson, J.M., et al. Types of Attention. New York: The Guildford Press, pp. 40
6. Brestan, E.V., (1998). Alertness and Arousal, 82 Studies. Journal of Clinical Psychology.
27, 180-185.
7. Palhem, W. E., et al. (1988). Salectivity and Saliency Determination Attention Disorder.
London, Pergamem, vol. 3, pp. 29 -38.
8. Wilens TC, Faraone, SV, Biederman J, Gunawardene S.(2003).Problem of Attention. A
Meta-analytic Review of Literature. USA. Dalton Press. Pp. 56-65
9.

Young,

K. (1991). Previewing and Planning Problems. Student British Medical Institute. Pp.
351-356.

10. Carlson, C. L., Pelham, W. E., Milich, R., and Dixon, J. (1999).Self Motoring and Self
Regulation Problem. Abnormal Child Psychology, vol. 20, pp. 213.
11. McMahon,R..J.(1994). Problems in Attention. Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology, vol. 62, pp. 901-907.
12. Wilens TE, Biederman J, Spensor TJ. (2002).Attention Difficulty. Annual Review of
Medicine, vol. 53, pp.113-131.
13. Kelley. L. McCain, A.P. (1995).Therapies of Attention. Comprehensive Treatment for
Attention Deficit Disorder. Vol. 19, pp.357-375.
14. Catholic Social Workers National Association (2006). Pp. 67
15. Definition of Social Worker. IFSW General Meeting in Montreal, Canada (2000). Role of
Social Workers.
16. The Find The Right Therapist (NASW, 2005).NASW Fact Sheet.
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