Cognitive Style in Children Perceived by Their Teachers as Hyperactive

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that occurs in both children and adults, and manifests itself in cognitive and behavioral difficulties severe enough to disrupt important aspects of their lives. The dysfunctions can be grouped into three characteristic syndromes: impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention. Neither a high level of psychomotor activity nor difficulties with attention are thus sufficient grounds for a diagnosis of hyperactivity. Nevertheless, among teachers the term is often overused, so that the majority of pupils who misbehave in the classroom are classified as "hyperactive." These children often receive reprimands and penalties of varying severity for their deviant behavior. The educational style correlates with the preferred cognitive style. The limits placed on the freedom to develop one's own individuality contribute to the formation of a "field-dependent" cognitive style. Our research was intended to determine whether pupils perceived by their teachers as "hyperactive" differ from their peers in terms of the preferred cognitive style. For this purpose we used Witkin's Masked Figures Test and a questionnaire based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The research group consisted of 180 persons: 90 younger school-age pupils identified by their teachers as "hyperactive" and a control group matched for age and gender distribution.