Since the TOVA measures variables of attention, it is often used to aid in the diagnosis of ADD. Attention deficit disorder, or ADD, is a psychological illness in which the individual has trouble paying attention and staying on task (TOVA, 2013). This issue is highly prominent; so much that it affects ones day-to-day life. Moreover, there are many causes and reasons some individuals find it extremely difficult to pay attention. Such causes include, but are not limited to, boredom, neurological problems, and other psychological abnormalities (like ADHD). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is distinguished from other disorders of attention because ADHD involves three noticeable groupings of problems that may manifest together or
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The TOVA increases accuracy in its results and possible diagnostic implications. Moreover, the TOVA is completely objective in its information provided about attention and impulsivity. The test results alone correctly identify over 86-percent of ADHD cases. In fact, this “hit” rate is only improved with additional clinical information. Again, as with all psychological tests, the TOVA does not make any diagnosis, a qualified clinician does. Not only is the TOVA an important tool used in the diagnosis of attention disorders, it can also evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment options. For example, TOVA results before treatment can be compared to TOVA results after the individual has started taking a new medication for a designated amount of time. By administering the TOVA to an individual on different doses of a medication, one can find the optimal level of medication. The TOVA also provides this information at a low …show more content…
Moreover, reliability is a prerequisite of validity. Thus, valid test is a reliable test; although, a reliable test is not necessarily a valid test. Certain measures of reliability are not appropriate for the TOVA since it is a timed test. Such traditional reliability statistics include split half methods, Internal Reliability Chronback alpha, and Kuder-Richardson coefficients (Leark et al. Professional Manual, 2007). As a result, the main indications of internal reliability have been shown using Pearson r product coefficients. These correlation values have been computed and are reported in the Professional Manual for all variables across both conditions (stimulus infrequent and stimulus. frequent) for the Visual TOVA Test. In regard to the stimulus infrequent portion of the test, reliability coefficients show the variables are consistent yet distinct. On the other hand, the stimulus frequent results indicated within-variable coefficients were generally stronger than those calculated between variables (Leark et al. Professional Manual, 2007). Reliability data consisting of Pearson product coefficients r were also computed and evaluated for the Auditory TOVA Test for each variable and each condition. These coefficients are similar to those obtained when evaluating the Visual TOVA Test (Leark et al. Professional Manual, 2007). As a result, interpretation follows the same pattern and the Auditory TOVA also
The TOVA increases accuracy in its results and possible diagnostic implications. Moreover, the TOVA is completely objective in its information provided about attention and impulsivity. The test results alone correctly identify over 86-percent of ADHD cases. In fact, this “hit” rate is only improved with additional clinical information. Again, as with all psychological tests, the TOVA does not make any diagnosis, a qualified clinician does. Not only is the TOVA an important tool used in the diagnosis of attention disorders, it can also evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment options. For example, TOVA results before treatment can be compared to TOVA results after the individual has started taking a new medication for a designated amount of time. By administering the TOVA to an individual on different doses of a medication, one can find the optimal level of medication. The TOVA also provides this information at a low …show more content…
Moreover, reliability is a prerequisite of validity. Thus, valid test is a reliable test; although, a reliable test is not necessarily a valid test. Certain measures of reliability are not appropriate for the TOVA since it is a timed test. Such traditional reliability statistics include split half methods, Internal Reliability Chronback alpha, and Kuder-Richardson coefficients (Leark et al. Professional Manual, 2007). As a result, the main indications of internal reliability have been shown using Pearson r product coefficients. These correlation values have been computed and are reported in the Professional Manual for all variables across both conditions (stimulus infrequent and stimulus. frequent) for the Visual TOVA Test. In regard to the stimulus infrequent portion of the test, reliability coefficients show the variables are consistent yet distinct. On the other hand, the stimulus frequent results indicated within-variable coefficients were generally stronger than those calculated between variables (Leark et al. Professional Manual, 2007). Reliability data consisting of Pearson product coefficients r were also computed and evaluated for the Auditory TOVA Test for each variable and each condition. These coefficients are similar to those obtained when evaluating the Visual TOVA Test (Leark et al. Professional Manual, 2007). As a result, interpretation follows the same pattern and the Auditory TOVA also