Tactile-sensitive behavior in hyperactive and nonhyperactive children.

Abstract

The Tactile Sensitivity Behavioral Responses Checklist was used to rate behavioral responses that demonstrate tactile defensiveness by children being administered the Southern California Kinesthesia and Tactile Perception Test battery. Hypothesizing that a group of five-year-old boys with hyperactive behaviors would have greater frequencies of tactile-sensitive behaviors than a group of nonhyperactive boys, and that tactile sensitivity would be negatively correlated with tactile discrimination, videotapes of 15 hyperactive and 25 nonhyperative boys being administered the test battery were rated on the checklist. Using the Mann-Whitney U test to compare each group for behavioral response, significant results at the .05 level were reached between groups for seven out of nine categories. A significant negative correlation between tactile sensitivity and tactile discrimination was reached for those children who completed the test battery. These findings support the research hypotheses and provide a more objective data base for recognizing and further researching tactile sensitivity.