Award Date

1-1-2007

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Committee Member

Daniel Allen

Number of Pages

133

Abstract

Mirsky et al. (1991) proposed a four factor structure of attention (Shift, Focus, Encode, and Sustain) that found strong support across various clinical and non-clinical samples (see Mirsky & Duncan, 2004). Using a differing theoretical model Spikman et al. (1999) found that traumatic brain injury (TBI) changed the measured structure of attention. The purpose of the study was to assess if the structure of attention maintained in children who had sustained a TBI using the Mirsky model of attention. For the study 151 children between the ages of 8.9 and 18.4 years (mean 12.9, sd 2.6) suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 50 normal controls were evaluated. Results supported the four-factor Mirsky model of attention. Factor scores were subsequently created and used to predict the severity of brain injury. The shift and focus factors significantly predicted brain injury. The findings may assist determining what functions are most connected to severity of brain damage and could be used to assist those recovering from brain injury.

Keywords

Attention; Brain; Children; Effects; Injury; Systems; Traumatic; Traumatic Brain Injury

Controlled Subject

Clinical psychology

File Format

pdf

File Size

2887.68 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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