In this two-part post we will discuss how to teach attention in occupational therapy. Part 1 focuses on the importance of attention to daily life and examines each of the four types of attention.
Attention is an important skill. Not only does it help us to complete tasks and maintain productivity, but it also keeps us aware and safe throughout our daily lives–imagine crossing a busy street without paying attention!! Attention is also important when we are learning something new, such as when our clients are learning new skills and strategies during their occupational therapy session. But maintaining attention can be difficult for some clients, so sometimes occupational therapists need to teach clients how to develop attention in order to then use that attention to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of treatment sessions.
In order to teach clients how to develop attention, you must first understand what attention is. There are four different types of attention–sustained attention, selective attention, alternating attention, and divided attention–and each type is important to participation in both occupational therapy sessions and everyday life.
Sustained Attention.
Attention that is held for the duration of the activity is called sustained attention. In a therapy session, sustained attention is important because a client needs sustained attention in order to maintain attention and participation for the entire therapy session. This can be especially difficult for children who often have shorter attention spans and less ability to pay attention for longer periods of time. Sustained attention is also important in our day-to-day lives as it allows us to complete activities safely and thoroughly, even when they might take an extended period of time–such as driving or cooking a meal.
Selective Attention.
When attention is maintained despite distractions, this is called selective attention. Selective attention is especially important if you happen to work in a busy clinic with lots of activity going on. A client without selective attention will be unable to pay attention to their session but will instead become distracted by the sessions of other clients, the activities of ancillary staff, other clients in the waiting room, etc. In daily life, selective attention helps us to “tone out” the unimportant things that may be happening in our environment in order to more effectively participate in the task at hand–such as reading a book while sitting in a doctor’s office or using a computer in the public library.
Alternating Attention.
Attention that easily shifts from topic to topic is known as alternating attention. Alternating attention is of particular importance when working with pediatric clients–such as those with autism–who may have difficulty with perseveration as they will often find it difficult to shift their attention away from one topic to a new topic. It is also important when doing an activity that requires the client to listen to instruction from the therapist, and then complete a portion of the activity. Without the ability to alternate attention, a client may become hung up on the activity step and be unable to give attention back to the therapist for the next set of instructions.
In daily life, alternating attention allows us to complete tasks that require multiple steps. When working at a job, alternating attention allows us to shift from one work related task–such as writing notes–to another work related task–such as providing manual therapy to a client–and then back again to documentation.
Divided Attention.
This type of attention is commonly referred to as “multi-tasking,” when you pay attention to more than one activity at the same time. In a therapy session, having divided attention allows your client to talk with you while still participating in the session itself. Regardless of the pros and cons of multitasking and the efficiency (or lack of efficiency) it provides, the reality is, there will be times in our life when we have to multi-task, such as when watching children while still completing daily housework.
By understanding each of the four types of attention, we can better determine the specific types of attention deficits our clients might be experiencing and more effectively address those deficits in order to improve attention and overall safety and function.
In the second half of this post, we will build on this foundational background information in order to discuss some of the ways you can teach attention to clients who may have difficulty with this skill.
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References:
Types of Attention. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/educational-learning/learning/process/obtaining/types-of-attention/