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Lead exposure and attention regulation in children living in poverty
Author(s) -
Davis Deborah Winders,
Chang Florence,
Burns Barbara,
Robinson Julia,
Dossett Dena
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2004.tb00448.x
Subject(s) - disadvantaged , lead exposure , poverty , lead (geology) , developmental psychology , psychology , low income , medicine , biology , cats , paleontology , socioeconomics , sociology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
This study examined the relationship between lead exposure and attention regulation in children from low‐income families. Children with lead exposure were expected to have lower attention regulation abilities than children who were not exposed. The 57 participants (39% male, 61% female) were children aged 4 and 5 years (mean age 4y 7mo [SD5mo]); 24 children were lead‐exposed (10–29μg/dl) and 33 were non‐exposed comparisons (1–6μg/dl). Both groups qualified to be enrolled in programs for low‐income families. A puzzle‐matching task was completed in parent‐child and child‐alone conditions. Attention allocation and puzzle‐matching performance were assessed in the two conditions. Children who were lead‐exposed demonstrated less self‐regulated attention than comparisons and had poorer puzzle performance in the child‐alone condition. Attention patterns did not differ in the parent–child condition. This study extends previous knowledge concerning effects of lead exposure on preschool children from disadvantaged environments and suggests that lead exposure affects specific attention regulation abilities.