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Protocol - Attention

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Description

The Attention Control Scale (ACS) is a 20-item self-report measure assessing attentional focusing and shifting.

Specific Instructions

None

Availability

Available

Protocol

Items are scored on a 4-point scale (1 = almost never; 2 = sometimes; 3 = often; 4 = always). R = reverse-scored item.

1. It’s very hard for me to concentrate on a difficult task when there are noises around. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

2. When I need to concentrate and solve a problem, I have trouble focusing my attention. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

3. When I am working hard on something, I still get distracted by events around me. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

4. My concentration is good even if there is music in the room around me.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

5. When concentrating, I can focus my attention so that I become unaware of what’s going on in the room around me.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

6. When I am reading or studying, I am easily distracted if there are people talking in the same room. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

7. When trying to focus my attention on something, I have difficulty blocking out distracting thoughts. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

8. I have a hard time concentrating when I’m excited about something. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

9. When concentrating I ignore feelings of hunger or thirst.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

10. I can quickly switch from one task to another.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

11. It takes me a while to get really involved in a new task. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

12. It is difficult for me to coordinate my attention between the listening and writing required when taking notes during lectures. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

13. I can become interested in a new topic very quickly when I need to.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

14. It is easy for me to read or write while I’m also talking on the phone.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

15. I have trouble carrying on two conversations at once. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

16. I have a hard time coming up with new ideas quickly. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

17. After being interrupted or distracted, I can easily shift my attention back to what I was doing before.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

18. When a distracting thought comes to mind, it is easy for me to shift my attention away from it.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

19. It is easy for me to alternate between two different tasks.

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

20. It is hard for me to break from one way of thinking about something and look at it from another point of view. (R)

1[ ]almost never

2[ ]sometimes

3[ ]often

4[ ]always

Scoring: ACS Full Scale: average of all 20 items.

ACS Focusing Subscale: average of items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12

ACS Shifting Subscale: average of items 10, 13, 17, 18, 19

Higher scores on the ACS Full Scale indicate great attentional control, higher scores on the ACS Focusing Subscale indicate greater attentional focus, and higher scores on the ACS Shifting Subscale indicate greater capacity for attentional shifting.

Personnel and Training Required

None

Equipment Needs

None

Requirements
Requirement CategoryRequired
Major equipment No
Specialized training No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual No
Mode of Administration

Self-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult

Participants

Adult = 18 and over

Selection Rationale

The Attention Control Scale (ACS) is very brief and easy to administer, and it can assess two aspects of attention: shifting and focus. It has solid psychometric properties and supportive validity information. Some attentional processes may be enhanced by nicotine and degraded during tobacco withdrawal. Behavioral, neurophysiological, and self-report assessments capture different components of attentional process.

Language

English

Standards
StandardNameIDSource
Human Phenotype Ontology Attention Deficit-hyperactivity Disorder OMIM:143465 HPO
caDSR Form PhenX PX711001 - Attention 6237648 caDSR Form
Derived Variables

None

Process and Review

Not applicable.

Protocol Name from Source

The Attention Control Scale (ACS)

Source

Judah, M. R., Grant, D. M., Mills, A. C., & Lechner, W. V. (2014). Factor structure and validation of the attentional control scale. Cognitive Emotion, 28(3), 433-451.

General References

Derryberry, D., & Reed, M. A. (2002). Anxiety-related attentional biases and their regulation by attentional control. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111(2), 225-236. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.111.2.225

Protocol ID

711001

Variables
Export Variables
Variable Name Variable IDVariable DescriptiondbGaP Mapping
PX711001_Attention_Another_POV
PX711001200000 It is hard for me to break from one way of more
thinking about something and look at it from another point of view. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Difficulty_Blocking_Thought
PX711001070000 When trying to focus my attention on more
something, I have difficulty blocking out distracting thoughts. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Difficult_Coordinate_During_Lecture
PX711001120000 It is difficult for me to coordinate my more
attention between the listening and writing required when taking notes during lectures show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Distraction_Shift_Away
PX711001180000 When a distracting thought comes to mind, it more
is easy for me to shift my attention away from it. show less
Variable Mapping
PX711001_Attention_Distriction_Shift_Back
PX711001170000 After being interrupted or distracted, I can more
easily shift my attention back to what I was doing before. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Easy_Alternate_Tasks
PX711001190000 It is easy for me to alternate between two more
different tasks. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Easy_Read_OnPhone
PX711001140000 It is easy for me to read or write while I'm more
also talking on the phone. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Good_Music_Around
PX711001040000 My concentration is good even if there is more
music in the room around me. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Good_Unaware_Surrounding
PX711001050000 When concentrating, I can focus my attention more
so that I become unaware of what's going on in the room around me. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Hard_When_Excited
PX711001080000 I have a hard time concentrating when I'm more
excited about something. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Ignore_Hunger
PX711001090000 When concentrating I ignore feelings of more
hunger or thirst. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_New_Ideas
PX711001160000 I have a hard time coming up with new ideas more
quickly show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_New_Topics
PX711001130000 I can become interested in a new topic very more
quickly when I need to. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Quicky_Switch_Task
PX711001100000 I can quickly switch from one task to another. N/A
PX711001_Attention_Reading_Distracted_Talking
PX711001060000 When I am reading or studying, I am easily more
distracted if there are people talking in the same room. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Scoring_Focusing
PX711001220000 average of items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 12 N/A
PX711001_Attention_Scoring_Full
PX711001210000 average of all 20 items. N/A
PX711001_Attention_Scoring_Shifting
PX711001230000 average of items 10, 13, 17, 18, 19 N/A
PX711001_Attention_Taskes_Awhile_NewTask
PX711001110000 It takes me a while to get really involved more
in a new task. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Trouble_Concentrate_Noise
PX711001010000 It's very hard for me to concentrate on a more
difficult task when there are noises around. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Trouble_Solve_Problem
PX711001020000 When I need to concentrate and solve a more
problem, I have trouble focusing my attention. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Two_Conversations
PX711001150000 I have trouble carrying on two conversations more
at once. show less
N/A
PX711001_Attention_Working_Distracted_Events
PX711001030000 When I am working hard on something, I still more
get distracted by events around me. show less
N/A
Tobacco Regulatory Research - Host: Social/Cognitive
Measure Name

Attention

Release Date

February 20, 2015

Definition

Attention is the process of selecting for active processing specific aspects of the environment or ideas stored in memory.

Purpose

The Attentional Control Scale (ACS) is a self-report questionnaire that has been developed to measure individual differences in attentional control.

Keywords

attention, focusing, shifting, mood change, subjective effects

Measure Protocols
Protocol ID Protocol Name
711001 Attention
Publications

Garcia-Cazarin, M.L., Mandal, R.J., Grana, R., Wanke, K.L., Meissner, H. (2020) Host-agent-vector-environment measures for electronic cigarette research used in NIH grants. Tobacco Control. 2020 January; 29(1). doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054032