Attention and impulse control in children with borderline intelligence with or without conduct disorder.

This study was designed to investigate attention and impulse control in 21 boys with dual diagnoses of conduct disorder and borderline intelligence and in 19 boys with borderline intelligence only. Using the Continuous Performance Test A-not-X, it appeared that children with the dual diagnosis made substantially more errors reflecting poor impulse control than the other group. The frequency of these errors was associated with scores on Impulsiveness, Aggression, and Delinquency subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist (Teacher Version). Also, the group with the dual diagnosis showed signs of a deficit in attention.