Time Estimation Could Be Impaired in Male, but Not Female Adults with Attention Deficits

The ability to judge the passage of time is critical to behavioral regulation and planning and can be impaired among individuals with attention deficit. Time estimation was tested in young adults screened for attention deficit, based on scores of a self-report questionnaire for attention problems (CAARS), using a prospective reproduction paradigm. Four time intervals (3, 6, 12, and 24 s) were tested in two conditions: (1) reproduction of the duration of a visual stimulus and (2) reproduction of an empty time interval. A significant interaction between gender and group was found suggesting that males, but not females, with attention deficits made larger errors than controls. Males with attention deficits and both groups of females made larger underestimations of time judgement than control males.