Time processing skills in typical and impaired development

Time processing has been found relevant to explain some differences in the performance of students with ADHD, but also in students with other special educational needs, i.e. Borderline Intellectual Functioning and Specific Learning Disorders. The aim of this study was to devise an instrument suitable to measure time processing skills influencing learning and behavior of children with typical and impaired development. A Time Perception (TP) test was built, measuring by a computerized device simple reaction times, basic spontaneous rhythm, time reproduction and time discrimination. The sample for the standardization of the test consisted of 395 primary school students (mean age 9.12 years), equally divided by gender, of which 60 with Special Educational Needs: Specific Learning Disorders, ADHD, Borderline Intellectual Functioning. Psychometric properties of TP are reported, i.e. test-retest reliability and factor structure of the tasks, and the comparisons between groups with typical and impaired development, to confirm the validity of the instrument, useful both for research and educational and/or clinical purposes