Time Estimation and Planning Abilities: Students with and without Mild Disabilities

Abstract

In this study we sought to examine differences among groups of elementary students with and without disabilities on a measure of time estimation. We assessed the time estimation recall of 51 students with and without emotional handicaps, learning disabilities, and attentional disorders and examined the relationship between time estimation and the self-regulatory skills of planning and organization. Group differences in time estimation recall were documented, but these differences were no longer significant after controlling for IQ. In planning and organization, students who scored higher on time estimation were less likely to use notes and lists for organization. Our findings call into question prior research that has not controlled for group differences in IQ and support the need for a curriculum in which time-estimation skills are taught directly and in a functional manner.

Arranging the Classroom with an Eye (and Ear) to Students with ADHD

“…• Children with ADHD struggle in planning activities within a time framework. These time-estimation skills are needed in the classroom to arrive on time, complete tasks within defined limits, and monitor test taking (Grskovic, Zentall, & Stormont-Spurgin, 1995). Research indicates serious deficiencies in these abilities for ADHD populations.…”

“…Research indicates serious deficiencies in these abilities for ADHD populations. In particular, individuals with attention disorders tend to overestimate the length of time intervals (Grskovic et al, 1995;Turnbull et al, 1999), posing serious implications for classroom performance, including procrastination and failure to complete tests and assignments. • Children with ADHD often have poor handwriting-often, haphazard and illegible.…”

Duration Judgments in Children With ADHD Suggest Deficient Utilization of Temporal Information Rather Than General Impairment in Timing

“…Previous studies demonstrated that children with an impulsive responding style, similar to that seen in ADHD, performed more poorly on questionnaires regarding time concept abilities (Goldman & Everett, 1985;Grskovec, Zentall, & Stormont-Spurgin, 1995) and on time reproduction tasks (Walker, 1982). Children with ADHD have also been shown to have impairments on administered time estimation tasks.…”

Time Estimation Abilities of College Students With ADHD

“…One study found that children with ADHD are more affected than controls but only under low-arousal conditions (Shaw & Brown, 1999). A second study found that students with elevated symptoms of ADHD estimated that their daily activities took less time than did those without ADHD but not after controlling for IQ (Grskovic, Zentall, & Stormont-Spurgin, 1995). A third study found differences between children defined as "impulsive" and controls, but there was no evidence that the participants actually had diagnosed ADHD (Goldman & Everett, 1985).…”