CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE TESTS - A COMPARISON OF MODALITIES

Continuous Performance Tests (CPTs) are popular instruments for the as sessment of sustained attention and impulsivity in individuals thought to have attentional deficits. CPTs used in research and clinical prac tice rely on visual presentations of stimulus material with little con sideration given to the effects on CPT performance when stimuli are pr esented in an auditory mode. This study examined CPT performance in no rmal adult subjects. The mode of presentation (visual or auditory) and the type of task (vigilance or distractibility) were varied and their effects on performance measured. Data were collected on 82 subjects; results indicated that auditory presentation of stimuli increased the difficulty of both tasks. Results also showed that distractibility tas ks were more difficult than vigilance tasks.